


And So It Happens

by TitanOr



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-02-14 01:23:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2172627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TitanOr/pseuds/TitanOr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was the world he lived in; he had long since accepted it. But just because he had been born an omega it didn’t mean he would go with the flow and allow them to treat him as they please.</p>
<p>Basically Eren is an omega living in an alpha and beta dominated world. He meets, of course, two men that could or could possibly not change his views on the whole thing: in step Levi and Erwin. What could these two possibly have to offer Eren?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Yo! So this is pretty much my first fanfic and a result of there, in my opinion, not being enough Levi/Erwin/Eren fanfics. I felt the need to contribute something and this is it. I'm so sorry if it's horrible. I just started writing and here it is.

He often saw them as he came into the store. Since the first time he caught sight of them, his eyes couldn’t help but wander to the area where they sat, quietly conversing to themselves. The blonde man who easily towered over his dark haired friend and over Eren himself probably. His features- the thick brow resting just over calm blue eyes, the chiseled angles of his face as though he had been sculpted by a Greek artist, his intimidating frame that promised power- a sharp contrast to the man who always accompanied him. Said man who sat across from him, black hair styled in an undercut, parted though not down the middle, a discontented look graced him and keen, grey eyes giving nothing away. Though his build was much smaller, it no less radiated authority just as his companion. Truly, they seemed worthy of the alpha title.

Today was no different as he walked in, the door’s bell jingling behind him as he walked up to where the blonde cashier stood, a dull expression on her face. Annie was her name. Eren often met up with her whenever they were both free in order to practice. She was a skilled martial artist and the only one besides his sister who could meet him blow for blow. He winced slightly remembering the bruises he had all over his torso that had remained from their last session and were slowly turning into light shades of purple and yellow.

“Annie.”

“Eren.”

No further greetings were exchanged nor needed. Eren placed his order of the iced green tea he had grown quite attached to, and allowed himself a glance in the direction of the two men only to find that they weren’t seated there. Strange, not once since he had started visiting the small coffee shop had they _not_ been there. Choosing not to dwell on it further he waited as Annie finished up his order and only briefly hesitated before heading towards their usual booth and sitting down.

He didn’t know why he had planted himself there, but he figured since they hadn’t shown up yet it wouldn’t matter, might as well get some of his own work done, Eren mused to himself, pulling out his tablet as he started working on the assignment for his digital art class. He was a 19 year old college student who had yet to declare his major. Honestly, he couldn’t see himself becoming a doctor like his esteemed father; he leaned more towards the arts. He loved the feel of charcoal on paper, paint on a canvas, drawing till his hand cramped up, seeing his writing, his words, he made sure to make them his own and having people feel because of him, because of his art. He grinned to himself. Yes, he loved it and he certainly wouldn’t be giving it up anytime soon just to please his father- not that his dad would even think of it, knowing his headstrong son would never listen to him.

He became so absorbed in his work that he did not notice the two figures who had seated themselves right across from him, one with an amused expression leaning forward with one hand underneath his chin, the other pulling out his laptop and laying it down in front of him completely disinterested. It wasn’t until the oldest of the two cleared his throat, startling the young man out of his project that he had been so diligently working on up until that point, that Eren realized he had company.

“Hi there.” Erwin said with a smile.

“Hello.” Eren responded back cautiously.

“Do you mind if we sit here? All the other tables are full and this is actually where we usually sit so it wouldn’t be much of a bother if we stayed, right?”

It was phrased as a question but Eren could hear the underlying command in the statement. He shivered, his assumption before having been correct; alphas indeed.

“Yeah, it’s no problem at all.” he said, offering up a smile of his own as a demonstration that while they may exude all the alpha tendencies- intimidation, power, authority- it didn’t mean he would bow his head to them in return.

Eren often encountered this issue, alphas thinking they could push him around simply because he was at the bottom of the pack. His omega status causing others to bully him, try to control him. He wasn’t having any of that. Eren knew the qualities that omegas were supposed to be made of; he had the talk before. Teachers, peers, sometimes even his own friends had tried to talk to him about his attitude and refusal to cower in the presence of other alphas and even some betas.

But Eren didn’t see what the issue was. Yes, omegas had the highest fertility rate and often submitted under alpha or beta rule but it didn’t mean they had to. The relationship between them was supposed to be one of equal status. However, over the years there had been more and more cases of alphas attempting to assert their dominance over their omegas in an unhealthy fashion and even those who were not their own. Some attested it to the surge of alphas; less and less betas were being born and even fewer omegas. Alphas felt the need to claim them, that mindset of theirs is where the problems started to arise. Omegas began to be seen as prizes, not partners. Sexual objects there on their alpha’s or beta’s whim.

Not all alphas or betas were like that Eren knew, but he had met quite a few that had turned him away from ever taking one. _Still_ , Eren thought, _it doesn’t mean they have to go and act like macho dicks_. He snickered to himself, _dicks on steroids; they probably lift weights too_. The image of a penis winking at him as it lifted a barbell appeared in his mind and he had to slap a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He hated the whole alpha/beta/omega thing. He thought it was absolutely ridiculous.

A deep voice interrupted him out of his reverie.

“May I ask what’s so funny?”

He looked at the man before him and then at the man at his side who seemed to be working away on his computer like a madman. He shook his head.

“Nothing, I was just daydreaming.”

The man nodded and gave him a grin. Honestly, his smile really was a panty dropper. Good thing Eren wore boxers.

"It would seem you do that a lot…” The man looked at him, imploring his name. “Ah, I’ve yet to introduce myself.” He reached his hand across to Eren. “Erwin Smith.”

Eren took his hand and shook it once before retracting his own. “ Eren Yeager.”

“Eren...” Erwin said his name as though he was testing it out, to see if he liked the feel of it on his tongue. He then gestured to the shorter man at his side. “This is Levi Ackerman, we both work together at the same publishing company.”

Eren spared a glance to Levi to find him already staring at him. His gaze really was something, it seemed as if it was looking through him. Eren felt a blush slowly creeping up his neck as he kept his eyes steadily on Levi.

The man nodded his own greeting at Eren and looked to Erwin. “Not bad.”

Erwin smirked.

An uneasiness rose in Eren. He did not like the silent communication going on between them. His mother warned him one too many times to be wary of any suspicious characters and these guys were alphas albeit two _very attractive_ alphas. Eren sighed.

“So Eren,” He turned his attention back to Erwin. “What exactly are you working on there that had you so wrapped up not to notice Levi and I here?”

Wow, this dude really was an Adonis. His smile was something you saw in those toothpaste commercials. All bright and sparkles, perfectly lined. It left Eren feeling a bit dazed.

“Well, um, it’s just a project for one of my classes.” Was that really his own voice? Why did it sound so husky? He really couldn’t gather what was going on and it seemed these two guys knew exactly what was happening to him if the look in Erwin’s eyes was any indication. That or the amused look that had crossed Levi’s features. At least he thought he looked amused; Eren couldn’t really read the man’s expressions yet.

It was Levi who broke him out of his admiration.

“Are you an art major?” he asked, glancing down at the tablet Eren had left lying on the table.

“Actually, I’m undeclared at the moment. I just really don’t know what I want to do.” He said shrugging.

“Well, you’ve got talent, kid. That is for a snot nosed brat.”

Eren felt the heat rising to his cheeks at the half compliment.

“Says the frigid old man. I didn’t know they let senior citizens stay out so late past curfew. I’m amazed someone from the home hasn’t busted through the door yet to drag you back.”

Levi looked at him as though he’d grown a second head and then quickly recovered covering his shock over Eren’s comment.

They spent the next few hours like that, asking Eren about his art, where he went to school, discussing the publishing house the two worked at, and dishing snide remarks back and forth. Levi looked impressed; the brat gave as good as he got. Erwin even joined in at some point laughing heartily at Levi’s and Eren’s antics. Eren was greatly enjoying their presence. Most alphas and even betas he had met wouldn’t have spared him any time, only to try to assert their dominance over him. He liked that they listened to him and he liked watching how the two of them interacted with each other. The friendship clear between them even if Levi would make disgusted expressions at something Erwin did and Erwin would seem exasperated at Levi’s crude language. It was at the end of a particular joke, the one that had been on Eren’s mind since the beginning that left Eren trying to keep from choking on laughter and Levi trying to stifle his. Eren had just finished the part with the weights and the winking when Erwin spoke up, eyes twinkling with mirth.

“So Eren,” Erwin began, “You come here almost everyday and it’s taken you this long to finally gather up the courage to make contact with Levi and me.”

Eren’s face flushed with surprise. He started sputtering, “What are you-”

Levi cut him off in that deep baritone of his though not as deep as Erwin’s. “You can cut the crap, you think we haven’t noticed you making eyes at us every single time you come in here?” Levi paused and stared at Eren, lips curling up in a devilish smile. “Seems to me like you spent enough time coming up with jokes about our dicks. That something you think about often? So which one of us is it? You’re not a bad looking kid and neither of us really mind, so choose, is it Erwin or me?”

Eren could only stare at them in shock. Were these guys serious? He had plenty of alpha friends so he knew that confidence was just one of those traits that they seemed to inherit but these guys were on a whole different level. _Even their dicks lift weights, what do you expect?_ That little voice that often got him into trouble whispered. Eren could only stare at them in utter mortification.

“I think you stunned the little omega a bit too much, Levi.”

“Che, it needed to be said otherwise we’ll never get anywhere. Three weeks we’ve been coming to this shithole and the kid finally makes a move and you think I’m just gonna wait till his head finally catches up to where his dick’s been going?”

Eren felt that bubble of anger that always seemed present inside of him ready to burst. It was the same anger he felt that always seemed to emerge whenever he received those patronizing talks from other omegas, betas, or alphas. _You’ll never find a mate if you keep acting that way, Eren. No one wants an omega who doesn’t know how to submit._

He was so tired of the same bullshit. He didn’t care if he never found a mate. Who wanted a weak alpha? If they couldn’t handle him, then they weren’t worthy of the title alpha anyway.

He was exhausted with society’s ideals. He hated that these guys just assumed he would bend over and shove his ass down on their dicks. He was so angry that he didn’t realize that Erwin and Levi had stopped talking, opting to watch as he started shaking and trembling.

“Hey brat-”

Eren snapped. He spoke in a hushed tone, words spilling forward, furious.

“Look, I don’t know what you think this is or maybe you’re thinking that since I’m an omega I’ll just nod along to whatever it is you want but if you think I will, you got another thing coming. Have you guys ever thought that maybe, just maybe, that yeah I find you fucks attractive but that doesn’t mean I want to automatically have sex with you? What is it with all you alphas and your self entitled bullshit? Seriously, not once has it crossed your minds that the world doesn’t revolve around you and your dicks? No? Well, now it has so thanks but no thanks.”

Eren had just finished gathering up his things as he finished his last statement, climbing out of the booth and not sparing a single last glare in their direction- huffing angrily as he made his way out the front door.

He spent the rest of the walk home trying to calm himself down. He didn’t want his sister, Mikasa, to worry and he sure didn’t want to have to explain to her his little incident. Mikasa was dangerous in any mood but her anger was not something he wished to unleash on anyone. Mikasa was an alpha and while he knew she could handle herself, he didn’t need his sister to end up with charges filed against her.

He smiled to himself as he reached the door of their shared apartment and walked in. He had calmed down some and now had time to reflect properly. He opened the door to his small room and threw himself onto his bed. He cringed as he thought of his reaction earlier but really, he just couldn’t stand the alpha/beta/omega dynamics anymore. He felt he was worth more than what his omega title made others believe he was worth. He had spent all his years trying to prove people wrong. He never backed down from arguments, constantly engaging in fights with anyone who dared provoke him. He held himself with pride, being an omega was certainly not something to be ashamed of. They were necessary for survival and reproduction but he wasn’t going to let anyone walk over him either. He simply wished that his kind were treated with the respect that they very much deserved.

As Eren lay there, he thought back to Erwin and Levi, the two immensely attractive alphas. He hadn’t meant to react so fiercely but their words had sparked back all those past experiences he had endured throughout high school and even during his first year in college. He groaned and rolled over onto his stomach. He would go back tomorrow and if he saw them then he would apologize. It wasn’t their fault Eren had encountered all those past douchebags. They had seemed genuinely interested in Eren’s work and had even listened to him rant about his art. Erwin with his suave demeanor and smooth talking. Levi’s blunt jokes and appreciation for his work. They certainly weren’t like the others. He was interested. Besides they had been right; Eren had been visiting the shop frequently in hopes of seeing them. He made up his mind then; he would go and talk to them again but he would make sure they would play by his rules. He’d show them exactly what an omega was made of. He grinned as he buried his face into his pillow. He’d show them all.


	2. Apologies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao, it's been almost a month since I posted the first chapter and fuck man I am so sorry for updating so late. Basically I started my first year in college and everything has been so much work. I mean, it's fun but all I do now is hw. Hell, I even postponed doing some of my hw in order to write part of this chapter. Anyway here's the second chapter. Also I swear I will try updating as quickly as I can. My goal from now on is to update every Wednesday. Oh and feel free to follow me on tumblr: http://titanorbastard.tumblr.com/

The next day Eren woke up and followed his daily morning routine. His class for the day didn’t start until around 2 and that was fine with him. Levi and Erwin usually didn’t show up to the shop till around five in the afternoon.

He dressed himself in a way that suited his mood, he felt good so he thought he should look good as well. He wasn’t conceited by any means but he could appreciate his own appearance from time to time. He stopped before the mirror to admire his look for the day. His mop of dark brown hair had that same tousled look it always did, the one that said he might have combed his hair that way but really was just a result of good genes and sleeping on the right side of bed. His large teal eyes, he liked them the most, eyes he had inherited from his mother though not the color- shined with determination and eagerness. He wore a simple, red v-neck shirt that served to compliment his naturally tan skin, denim jeans that weren’t too tight but fit him well, and plain black converse. One last glance at himself and he decided he was ready to go.

He closed his door behind him and made his way to the tiny kitchen. Mikasa was waiting for him, it seemed, breakfast prepared. He smiled; she was always looking out for him.

“Good morning, my good queen. How fares my lady on this day?” he asked cheekily as he took a seat across from her at the table. As children they, and their mutual friend Armin, held great interest in tales of knightly valor, beautiful queens, and magic. The games they would play usually involved Mikasa the benevolent and powerful queen, Eren the strong willed knight always ready to serve, and Armin the brilliant wizard who never failed to join him on quests and who, no doubt, always saved the impulsive knight from an early death. Those memories were some of his favorites.

“Eren.”

He looked up from the plate of food Mikasa had left for him. Her careful tone stirring up his curiosity. He was sure he hadn’t gotten into any fights lately and he sure hadn’t been falling behind in his school work again. So why so serious?

“Yeah?”

“Grisha called; he said he’s coming home for a few weeks.”

Mikasa watched him closely. She knew how much her brother disliked any mention of the man.

“Is that so? I guess he finally remembered he had kids at home.”

Eren sighed and poked at the freshly made eggs on his plate. This really wasn’t how he wanted to start out the day. His father wasn’t a horrible person by any means, it was his parenting that he had issues with. His relationship with his father went downhill quickly, shortly after the death of his mother. He didn’t blame his father for anything really, it had just been a difficult time for all of them. He wished that Grisha hadn’t spent all those years after her death shutting Mikasa and him out. They were his children and they had needed him just as much as he had needed them. He hadn’t necessarily neglected them; he fed and clothed them, drove them to school and back as needed, but Eren nevertheless felt the wall that had been put up warding off all those who dared approached. As he and Mikasa grew older, Grisha’s appearances at home would lessen until it got to the point where they spent senior year coming home to find an envelope and a note from their father, a written apology on how he had to travel for work and that he left enough money to last however long he would be gone. His father saved lives, worked miracles some would say, but it seemed that the only thing he couldn’t salvage was his own family; there he had failed.

The frown on Mikasa’s face and the clearing of her throat snapped Eren out of his daze. He really didn’t like thinking of his father. He gave her a sad smile and reached for her hand across the tiny table, gently squeezing it. He knew seeing him upset worried her and he absolutely hated making her worry. His sister was too good to him. He wished she would worry more for herself, she deserved more than what the world had offered her.

“It’s fine, Mikasa. He was bound to come home sometime soon anyway. Hey, maybe this time he might even stay awhile, try a hand at being a real family.”

“We are a real family, _I’m_ your family.” She emphasized. “And don’t you ever forget it.”

He grinned at her. “How could I? And what an _amazing_ sister you are, great Queen Mikasa.”

“Well then, my good knight, I must be off on my way. The kingdom won’t simply rule itself.” She got up and grabbed her bag off the floor. “Things are earned through hard work.” She winked at him. “Get to school on time and be careful, Eren, and I don’t want to hear that you’ve been fighting Jean again.” She flicked him on the forehead as she passed by, getting a yelp out of him.

“Who told you I’ve been fighting with Jean? And OW. Damn, Mikasa, can’t you be a bit nicer?”

“Nope. Be good, Eren.”

The front door closed at her words leaving a grumbling Eren to pout and rub at his forehead.

He finished his meal and washed the remaining dishes. He had about three hours to kill and nothing to do. _Yes_ , he thought to himself. _This is gonna be a long day._

The next few hours were spent lounging around the couch, agonizing about what he would say to the two men. He was dreading the much needed conversation but it’s not like he could ignore it either; they were always at the shop around the same time that he usually went. Groaning, he picked himself up from the sofa. He had to get to class. He made sure the door was closed properly- it had an annoying habit of staying open if he just pulled it slightly- and headed out.

He was slowly making his way when he heard a voice. He knew exactly who that was. He gripped the handle to his bag even tighter; he really didn’t want to deal with this right now.

“Hey, Yeager! I know you heard me, don’t just walk off like you didn’t.”

The brunette saddled up to his side, the smirk that always seemed plastered on his face there now.

“Kirstein.”

Jean wrapped an arm around Eren’s shoulders and looked down at him.

“What’s wrong, Old Spice? “

“Jesus fuck, Jean, didn’t I tell you to stop calling me that?”

Jean had had the annoying habit of calling him that for as long as he could remember. He couldn’t fathom why and had long since stopped trying to figure out the guy.

The taller boy simply snickered and shrugged. “You know you like it.”

Eren rolled his eyes and smiled. “You wish.”

“Yeah you’re right I do.”

Eren snorted. “Yeah right, you and I know damn well Marco is the only one for you.”

Jean threw his head back and laughed. “True, but if he wasn’t you’d be right at the top of the list.” He winked at him.

It was Eren’s turn to laugh at the ridiculous comment. He had known Jean since middle school. The boy had annoyed him so much in his youth that it had been almost impossible for them to interact without fists flying in every direction. When he had first met him, Jean had had the same views on omegas that everyone else around him had. Jean’s beta status had made him believe that Eren would be easy pickings. Of course Eren quickly put an end to that. They came to a truce and honestly, they both realized they didn’t mind each other’s company much. It was just their similar attitudes and stubbornness that had created conflict between them. The two had mellowed out over the years and developed a close sense of camaraderie. Eren now counted Jean as one of his closest friends; he had sure earned it.

It wasn’t the first time Eren mused on Jean’s proposition. He knew that while the man joked about taking him that Jean wouldn’t hesitate if he actually agreed. Jean had Marco as his alpha but it did not mean he could not take an omega of his own. Even with Jean’s faults he knew he would serve well as his mate. However, Eren just didn’t have any feelings other than friendship for him nor did he delude himself into thinking Jean had any for him. Perhaps physical attraction and a platonic emotional attachment, but certainly nothing like the relationship he and Marco shared. Jean’s invitation stemmed from the fear of Eren’s status as an unclaimed omega. The chances of Eren being attacked by a wild alpha would decrease significantly if he were to accept one or a beta as his own. But he couldn’t form such a bond out of fear. Still, he appreciated that Jean looked out for him.

“So seriously what’s up, Eren?”

“Nothing much just stressing a bit over all these project deadlines. They’re absolutely killing me but I think I have a good handle on them. How about you? Have you talked to Marco recently?”

Marco had joined the military straight out of high school and was currently stationed out somewhere in the Middle East. Eren knew it was killing Jean to have his mate so far from him and so near danger.

Jean grinned and his eyes watered slightly. “He’s coming home.”

Eren’s eyes widened. “No way! You’re serious? When? How? Holy shit, Jean, that’s fucking fantastic!”

“I know! He just called me up last week and said that they were pulling out a good portion of the troops and that his unit was one of them and shit. He’s coming home. I can’t even believe it myself. They’re wrapping up whatever it is they’re doing over there and he’ll be home hopefully by the end of the month.” His voice broke at the last sentence.

Eren grabbed Jean’s hand and pulled him in close, wrapping the other around his waist and burying his head into his shoulder.

“That’s great, man. I’m so happy to hear that, you and Freckles will be reunited again!” Eren laughed and Jean followed suit, swallowing the tears that threatened to appear.

“Thanks, dude.” Jean muttered into the crook of his neck.

“No problem. Just remember if there’s anything you ever want to talk about I’m here. Everyone is. ‘Kasa, Armin. We’re all here.”

Jean pulled back, releasing Eren. “Yeah, I know.” He cleared his throat and pulled his signature smirk. “Look who’s going soft, goddamn Old Spice.”

“Fuck off, Kirstein. Look, now you’ve made me late for class.”

“Chill, Yeager. Not like you do well in any of your classes anyway. Always doodling and shit when you should be taking notes.” Jean teased him.

Eren scowled and said, “Whatever forever,” and proceeded to flip him off.

Jean got a kick out of that, shoulders shaking as he roared with laughter. Eren left him and headed for class and stopped briefly as he heard Jean shout at him to text him after class. He waved him off.

Eren had to endure the dirty look his professor gave him as he walked into class 15 minutes late. He didn’t care, talking to Jean and hearing the news of about Marco made his day. It had even distracted him from his thoughts concerning Levi and Erwin.

He tried to remain focused for the duration of the class but his thoughts kept drifting off to the alphas. He still didn’t know what he would say when he saw them or if they would even want to speak to him after his outburst but he would try. He would try because he was not a coward and his parents had not raised him to be one. His mother had taught him that communication was key, and though he had often rolled his eyes at that he couldn’t help but be grateful that she had implanted that thought into his being. Eren spent that class session ignoring his teacher’s frown and hyping himself up. He could do this.

By the end of class he shot up from his seat and darted quickly out the door, pulling out his phone to shoot a quick text to Jean inviting him over later that night for pizza and binge watching horror movies.

He slowed his pace as he made his way off campus, trying to buy himself time. He gnawed at his lower lip, thinking of all the worst case scenarios that would more than likely happen. He hoped none of them would come true but with his luck anything was possible.

The small shop soon came in sight and Eren’s nerves shot up. He willed himself to keep moving until finally he was standing right in front of the glass door; he pushed it open and heard the familiar jingle. Stepping in, he saw Annie at the counter and smiled seeing a somewhat friendly face. Well, friendly by Annie’s standards. He quickly walked up to her to place his order.

“Didn’t think I’d be seeing you around here for a while, Eren, especially after your little run in with those two alphas. I had almost forgotten why they called you the ‘suicidal' bastard. But that sure as hell brought back some memories.”

Eren scowled. Annie would choose today of all days to suddenly become “Chatty Cathy.” He hadn’t glanced around yet so instead of choosing to risk it and he asked Annie, leaning forward, voice hushed.

“Uh, are they here?”

Annie snorted at that and shook her head. He took a peek and found himself staring right into the eyes of one of the men he had not been ready to confront just yet. He whipped his head around back to Annie so quick he thought he saw stars. He glared at Annie and the blonde had a look on her face that resembled something close to amusement, but she had schooled her expression back to its normal state before he could be sure.

He all but hissed at her. “Jesus fuck, Annie, I thought you said they weren’t here.”

“You said they. Obviously it’s only one of them.”

He huffed. She handed him his drink. Damn her.

“Good luck, Eren.” She said waving him off.

“Gee thanks.”

He left her and turned toward Erwin. Well, the odds certainly had worked in his favor, at least it was only one of them. He didn’t know how long he would last under Levi’s heavy gaze. He stood awkwardly before Erwin’s table. He felt that the man had had his eyes on him the whole time.

He coughed. “Hi, do you mind if I sit here?”

“Not at all.”

Eren sat down trying to decide what to do next when the man spoke.

“Eren.”

He looked up at him.

“I’m sorry.”

Eren could do nothing but stare at the man, shocked that an alpha who he had known for no longer than a few hours apologized to him, an omega. He hadn’t been this caught off guard since that time in junior year when his friends had played Truth or Dare and Armin had been dared to kiss Eren. The normally timid boy had caught him by the shoulders, held him down and planted one right on him. That had been an enlightening experience but none of that compared to how he felt now. He was still in his stunned daze when Erwin continued.

“I know that an apology may not seem like much or make up for Levi’s or my own actions yesterday but we would both like you to know that we hadn’t meant to insult you in any way. I know Levi can be very blunt but it’s just his nature. He regrets what he said and that you seemed so troubled by it. We, by no means, meant any harm.”

Erwin finished his short speech and waited for Eren’s response. The silence between the two stretched on as he gathered his thoughts. Honestly, not once had it crossed his mind that they would apologize or even come close to it without him requesting for an apology.

They really weren’t like any of the alphas he had met before- aside from the ones within his family and friend circle. Levi and Erwin were on a level of their own. Most alphas would never dream of doing something like this. It would be considered beneath their station. But here was Erwin which raised the question in Eren’s mind- where was Levi?

He stared Erwin dead in the eye, never wavering. He appreciated the man’s sentiments but he still couldn’t trust someone he had just met especially if they were alphas.

Eren nodded. “I accept your apology but I think I need to offer one of my own. I reacted really strongly and I shouldn’t have made such a scene.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m sorry too.” He smiled at Erwin.

“It was not your fault, Eren. I admit we came on too strongly.”

“You said earlier that Levi was sorry as well, if that’s true then where is he?”

“We both talked and we thought that if you did decide to come back then it would be easier for you to speak to one of us rather than it being two against one.” The handsome man smiled at him. _That smile should be illegal_ , Eren thought to himself. “I know Levi is rather straightforward about what he wants but he honestly does regret how he spoke to you. I don’t believe he wished to offend you.”

“I see, well, I’ll still like to speak to him in person.”

“Of course, I’m sure he’s more than willing.”

“Alright then, how about same time tomorrow?” Eren got up and Erwin followed suit.

“Perfect.” The word rolled off his tongue causing Eren to shiver in response. Being around these men did all kinds of things to him.

Erwin held the door open for him and they walked out together. They stopped a few feet away from the door and turned to each other. Erwin held a card out to Eren.

“In case you need to contact me, feel free to do so. Goodbye, Eren. It was a pleasure seeing you today.” It didn’t matter how many times Eren saw this man smile, it would always manage to cause that rush of blood to rise to his face.

“Bye, Erwin.”

Eren stood there long after the man had vanished from his sight. It wasn’t until Annie came out to kick and yell at him to get a move on that he finally began walking home. He checked his phone and saw an angry text from Jean asking him where he was. He texted back saying he was on his way now and pocketed his phone. He groaned. What kind of shit did he manage to get himself into.


	3. Family and Chances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't updated in a very long time. Trust me, it's all I thought about since the last chapter. I may not update often but I always will. Hell, better late than never. Lmao, anyway I've been working on this for about a month and I'm so excited. I love getting feedback so please feel free to leave comments :)

His phone rang, effectively waking him. He groaned and stuck his arm out from under the covers and began searching for the item that was causing that incessant noise. Who the hell was calling him so early in the morning? He felt his phone on the far corner of the drawer and brought it to his face, glancing at the bright screen. It was his father.

He debated whether he should pick it up or not and with a sigh, he tapped the answer button.

“Hello?”

“Eren.”

He was beginning to wonder why people always just referred to him by his first name as a form of greeting. Hadn’t these people heard of “Hello,” “Hi,” or a “How are you doing?”

“Hey, Dad. What’s up?”

“I’m sure Mikasa has told you by now that I plan on returning home quite soon.”

“Yeah, she mentioned something like that yesterday. Gonna stay long?”

“It all depends...” Grisha trailed off, ‘there’s no point in discussing this now. I’ll see you at home very soon. Take care, Eren.”

Eren rolled his eyes. That was such a typical way for his father to reply. He’d let it the comment slide this time; he did not want to dwell deeper on to this topic so early in the morning. Barely a minute into the call and he already thought it was just about time to end this farce with Grisha and continue on to dreamland again when his father surprised him with his next statement.

“It was good hearing your voice, Eren. I want you to know I’ve missed your sister and you very much. You both have my love. Bye, Eren.”

And just like that the line was cut. He held the phone to his ear long after his father had ended the call. That was the first sentimental thing his father had said to him in years. He thought for a second that he had fallen asleep during the call because this was too good to be true. He put the phone back on the stand and laid on his back with his arm slung over his eyes, shielding them from the beams of light appearing from the small sliver of the parted curtains. It was way too early for this. He sighed and decided there was no chance of him falling back to sleep at this point. He rose from the beneath the cocoon his covers had formed into, stretching his arms and back in order to dispel the effects of deep slumber.

He glanced at the clock and wondered if Mikasa was back from her morning run. Gingerly rising, not yet trusting his legs to have any semblance of balance, he walked to his closet and picked out the first items that he could get a hold of, today was not a day to be fashion conscious. The door creaked as he swung it open and made his way to the bathroom. The water was scalding and relaxed the muscles that he had not realized were still tensed from earlier. He washed himself as he thought about how tedious his morning routine was beginning to be, taking his time running the shampoo through his hair. He had gotten the majority of the suds out when he heard the loud chime of the doorbell. He cursed to himself and shouted a quick ‘Hold on! Just a minute.’

Snatching the towel from the rack, and drying himself as best as he could, he made his way to the front door, aware of the bit of shampoo that remained in his hair. He looked out the peephole of the door before grinning and taking the chain off, opening it with a shout. “Armin! Hey, what’s up?” He stepped aside to let the blonde in.

“Nothing much. Just thought it’s been awhile since we last hung out and I finished a good chunk of my homework so I thought why not.”

“Basically you had nothing better to do, huh?”

Armin smiled and took off his shoes. “Basically.”

“Okay, well let me just finish showering.” Eren looked down the hallway checking to see whether his sister was anywhere near. He spoke in a hushed, eager tone. “You won’t believe what I have to tell you.”

Armin looked on him with twinkling eyes. “You look and sound like a gossiping grandmother. Look at your pruney hands.” He grabbed Eren’s left hand and held it up to his face. Eren yanked away, feeling insulted at his comment. “Shut up. Just go and make yourself at home before I don’t tell you shit.”

He heard the laughter from his close friend fade as he shut the door. He rinsed off what was left in his hair and dressed quickly. As Eren passed by his sister’s door, he thought it would be better to be safe than sorry and pressed an ear to the door, no sound was heard. Confident now that he knew his sister would not interfere, he walked into the small kitchen where Armin was seated at, a bowl in front of him and another placed to the side. He looked up as Eren pulled the chair out.

“I haven’t had breakfast, and I assumed you hadn’t either.”

“Yeah, thanks, Armin.”

“So what’s up? What have you been dying to tell me?”

Eren twirled the spoon in his hand, not sure where to begin. He decided to start with the least emotionally damaging.

“So the other day I was at the coffee shop, you know the one Annie works at?”

“Annie? Oh yeah, I remember her. What happened?”

“Okay, do you also remember about those two guys I told you about, the ones who frequent the shop? The good-looking ones?”

“Yeah, what about them? Aren’t they alphas?” Armin’s tone had taken a cautious turn.

“They are and well, I got the chance to talk to them.” Eren’s usual bright eyes seemed to have lighten up even more. “I don’t know a lot about them but I want to and- wait no, Armin, listen to me before you say anything. I know what you’re thinking so stop looking at me like that. Just listen. I was finally able to talk to them and they’re pretty cool. Yeah, they kinda have the whole tough alpha thing going on, but they actually _listen_ to me.”

“In the short period of time I got to know them, they didn’t treat me like the others have. We were able to joke around and laugh like equals. Well, that is, before I went off on them but that’s beside the point."

Armin quirked an eyebrow at him. “Hold on, so you blew up around not one, but two alphas?”

“Yes, but that’s not the point- at least not right now. We’ll get back to that.” Eren laughed at the deadpan face Armin was making at him. “Anyway, I talked to them for a bit and everything was going great until Levi, the shorter of the two but no less attractive and just as intimidating, told me that they’d only been going to the shop because of me. He said he knew I was interested in him and Erwin, and he wanted me to make a choice between them, and all this other crap that I may have tuned out when I was freaking out.” Armin’s demeanor had changed as Eren went on. He looked more intrigued than anything.

“Alright, so I’m assuming Erwin is the other alpha?” He asked.

“Ah, you’re ever so clever.”

“Hey, I don’t need your sass.”

“Haha, alright, sorry. I’m not done yet though. At this point I’m angry, like, _pissed_. What assholes just assume they’re gonna get their dicks wet, ya know? I called them out on their shit and stormed out.”

“Oh, Eren.”

“I know, I know. I got home and when I calmed down I thought things over, and I admit I overreacted a bit. They had been nothing but courteous and all they did was ask me out. I’m just so used to those arrogant, self-entitled alphas.”

Armin reached out to smooth the drying mess that was Eren’s hair. He knew exactly what Eren went through having gone through it himself various times, if not more than Eren. Eren had the slight advantage of being fit and capable of combat; Armin was not necessarily frail but most definitely not a fighter. Even bonded to Mikasa as he was, he still encountered alphas that meant to demean his kind. It only took a brief moment of her involvement to send them scurrying away. He frowned. Eren was an attractive young man, there would certainly be more suitors to follow and he worried for his friend. He vaguely heard his friend speak to him, wrapped up in his thoughts as he was. Eren shook him slightly, a mixture of concern and confusion marring his features.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Just thinking about a few things. What was the other thing you needed to tell me?”

The change in Eren was swift and abrupt. He almost chose to avoid this topic of conversation, but talking to Armin always helped him. This would be no different.

He spoke softly. “My dad’s coming home.” He noticed Armin tense beside him and his back straightened.

“Is that so?”

“Yup.”

“What does your sister think of that?”

“Mikasa is fine with it. She thinks this might be a chance to start over.”

Armin nodded. Mikasa was more flexible when it came to anything involving her father figure. Eren was a different matter altogether as he generally was concerning most things.

“And how do you feel?”

Eren shrugged. “I don’t know, frustrated, nervous, a bit angry I guess. I know I should give him a chance, but a part of me wants to make him pay. He wasn’t there when we needed emotional support, and I know he tried, _still_ tries, but it’s hard to forgive him, though it’s slightly harder to hate him.” He looked at Armin and the boy looked at him understandingly. Eren sighed. Armin’s presence alone was enough to make him feel at ease.

“Well, your father coming home can’t necessarily be considered a bad thing. This might be your chance to reconnect.”

“Yeah, I know. I was thinking the same thing, but how do you reconnect with a man that’s pushed you away for years. What do I say? What do I do?”

“Just take it in steps. Have breakfast together, wish him a nice day, you know, small talk is always a good way to break the ice.” Armin turned to him, smiled, and wagged his finger at him. “The little things are what matter.”

“I suppose.”

“Come on, Eren. You know you’ll just regret it if you don’t try. So suck it up and stop standing around twiddling your thumbs.” Armin stared him down, which was quite a feat for him considering Eren was several inches taller. “What? Have your balls not dropped yet?!”

“Armin!” Eren was taken aback by this new attitude. Armin had the audacity to at least look at him sheepishly.

“Sorry, I was hanging out with Connie and Sasha earlier in the week.”

“Ah yes, those two are always corrupting the youth.”

“You sound like Pop-pop.”

“You’re 18 not 8, Armin.”

“Hater.”

“Maybe.”

“Nice.”

They both laughed and let the calm settle between them. After a few moments, Armin spoke up  again, asking Eren the other question he had been dreading.

“So how are things with Levi and Erwin? What exactly happened after you walked out on them? Have you even spoken to them?”

“They’re fine. I did get into contact with them. Everything is fine.”

“You’re sure? You look like you’re ready to shit your pants.”  

“It’s all cool. I talked to Erwin the day after it happened and Levi the next. They were interesting conversations to say the least.”

“Oh, what’d they say?”

“Well, first off, Erwin apologized.” Armin’s eyebrows shot up at that. “That part went fine but Levi sure as hell had me nervous. I thought I was gonna talk to them both, but Levi showed up by himself saying Erwin decided to let us talk it out, you know, just the two of us.”

“And?”

“ _And_ , it was okay. He didn’t exactly say sorry but I know that’s what his intentions were about. We only talked for a bit because I had to get to my afternoon class. We did set up another meeting time for all three of us. He said he supposed it would be better if I got to know them first.”

Armin murmured, “That’s interesting.”

“Sure is.” Eren rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s confusing and scary. I don’t know how this is gonna work out. The two of them know each other and it’s weird to be intruding on their friendship like that.”

“Since they came up to you first they must have given it some thought. I’m sure they’ve come to some sort of agreement. Besides, they aren’t the only alphas around, you can just be friends with them. From what you’ve told me they’re very… open. Erwin might be good for you. Or Levi. Whichever one you end up liking best.” Armin tried to smile reassuringly at him.

“Whose Levi?” A voice came from around the other side of the door of the kitchen, startling Eren and Armin. Mikasa peered out at them curious as to what they had been discussing beforehand. Armin was the first to respond, as usual, a tentative smile gracing his lips. He tilted his head a bit to the side, exposing his neck to his alpha, and tucking away a few strands that had gotten in the way- a sign of his submission. The overall effect had Mikasa smiling softly at him- pleased with her omega’s reaction to her presence. Armin addressed her calmly. “Eren made a new friend. He was just telling me about him.”

Eren looked stricken at Armin’s reply. Harmless as it was, Mikasa looked on him with keen eyes, evaluating his movements, every twitch and nervous bite at his lips. He knew his sister would not approve his befriending of alphas. Especially ones who looked as if they could leave him in utter ruins.

“Eren.”

That brought him back into action. Eren felt the muscles tense and his shoulders draw up in defiance and frustration. “You know what I realized?” He began with, “No one ever starts a conversation normally with me. You guys just say my name like I’m some sort of pet who will respond back whenever you call for me. What ever happened to saying things like ‘Hey,’ or ‘What’s up,’ or something? I refuse to put up with this anymore.” He finished off, flushed with faux anger in an attempt to have Mikasa disregard Armin’s earlier response.

Armin looked at Mikasa, amused. “I thought you said he was taking anger management classes?”

“No, he’s too much of a fool. It wouldn’t do him any good and I feel bad for anyone who has to spend that much time dealing with him.”

“Oh, true.”

That honestly offended him. “Hey, I’m right here.”

Mikasa turned back to her brother and replied, “Yeah, I’m aware of that and you still haven’t answered my previous question.”

“It’s just as Armin said, he’s just a new friend.”

“Another _omega_ friend?”

“I don’t have to have just omega friends, Mikasa,”

“An alpha then?”

“Yeah.”

“Eren, that’s troublesome and you know it.”

“Trouble is fun.”

“Trouble my ass,” she replied with no real malice, “you always do this. You get yourself in situations you aren’t ready to handle and think you can glide on past them without any real damage. You’re trouble enough by yourself let alone with an alpha at your side.” She leaned against the doorframe awaiting his response.

“Yo momma.”

“She’s dead, Eren.” She replied dryly.

“Damn, Mikasa, chill.”

She rolled her eyes at that and walked into the room, taking a seat next to Armin who immediately leaned in her direction, dragging his chair closer to hers. She intertwined their arms together and rested her head on his shoulder. The sight of them brought up conflicting feelings in Eren. He loved both of them and he was happy for them but a part of him wished he could have that sort of relationship. The trust and adoration evident in little touches here and there. He wanted that, but he wasn’t going to rush into a relationship either.

“You two seriously gross me out.”

“Your face is gross, but you don’t see Armin and I complaining.”

Eren grunted at that, lightly kicking his sister under the table. He knew better than to wage full on war with Mikasa. Armin scoffed at him.

“Eren, mind your manners.”

“Oh, bite me why don’t you.”

“That’s what your sister said.”

“Wow, I think _that’s_ the grossiest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“If you only knew.”

“Okay, yeah, I really rather not. Thanks, Armin.”

“Don’t be a baby.”

“I’m like 6.”

“I don’t recall your mom giving birth to such a big baby.”

Eren laughed it off, his sister and best friend joining him. He was happy and content. There were so many things he had to think about, choices that would affect him long after they’ve been made. Dark clouds may have been brewing over the horizon, but sandy shores and calm waves awaited him, so he didn’t mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, formatting this shit on ao3 is a pain in the ass. That isn't relevant to the story but I just needed to get that out there


	4. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one month? Lmao this is definitely something new. I wasn't joking when I said I would try to update as often as I can. I love getting feedback from you guys; it fuels my writing. Anyway, I always look forward to getting comments so please leave any thoughts or whatever. Also, I have a tumblr: http://jeevasorriver.tumblr.com/ if you guys message me there I would gladly answer any questions and I'll also like to be able to give you guys updates on how a chapter is going :)

Eren had to admit life was going pretty well for him at the moment. He felt better than he had in weeks. He was going to hang out with Jean, do some homework, and even planned on calling his dad later that day. His earlier worries still loomed over him, but he would deal with them when they sprouted up once again. _‘I’ll let future Eren worry about that’_ is what he told himself. And so he did just that. His previous talk with Armin helped him contemplate and decide what course of action he would take. It also helped that Mikasa had not freaked out on him as he thought she would. He did not give his sister enough credit.

With this pleasant attitude and great thoughts in mind he packed up his bag with some clothes and essentials. Jean said they were only going to hang out for a bit, but he knew that to mean that he was welcome to spend the night and he was never one to pass up on an opportunity to mooch off his friends for as long as they allowed. Eren wiped an imaginary tear away; he had such good friends. As he folded a pair of his briefs, he heard a familiar buzz and saw that his phone had gone off. Without a second thought he answered the call with a cheerful “Hello?”

“Hello, Eren.” A smooth, sensual voice sounded into his ears. He instantly felt the blood start to rush upwards. His neck felt way too hot and he had to rub his unoccupied hand over it in attempt to cool himself down. He sat on his bed.

“Erwin?” He questioned. “I almost didn’t think you would call.” He wanted to smack himself for that one. Did it make him sound insecure? Too unsure of himself? Shit, he needed more time. The man over the phone chuckled and Eren could really get used to hearing _that_. “Of course I would. It’d had been a shame not to when the reward is something as sweet as your voice.” Eren laughed nervously at that. Erwin sure did not mind coming on too strong.

He cleared his throat and spoke. “So what’s up? Any hot plans for the weekend?”

“Not particularly. Levi and a few other of our close friends are getting together for a few drinks. So no, nothing exciting.”

“Oh, that sounds nice.” Eren smiled at the image of Levi and Erwin in casual wear. The sight of them looking even more gorgeous than they did in their suits would put him in a coma. “I have wondered what you guys look like without your suits.” Eren blinked. Did he really just say that? He stood up from the bed in a panic, sputtering a quick explanation. “I didn’t mean as in the nude. Not that you guys wouldn’t look good, but I meant just in regular clothing. I mean, your suits don’t look bad either, hell, if anything I’m a mess whenever I see you guys.” Eren facepalmed himself. He was not making this any better.

The boisterous laugh that reached his ears made him flinch. Well, laughter wasn’t a bad sign. He muttered a ‘sorry’ as Erwin quieted down.

“No, Eren, it’s fine. I really needed that, thank you, honestly.” Eren could hear the sincerity in his words and he relaxed. He smiled softly to himself, sat on the floor, and leaned his head back against the bed. “I just meant it would be nice if I could get to see you and Levi sometime that doesn’t involve you guys just coming out of work.” He bit his lower lip, wondering if that had been too pushy of him to ask.

“That sounds great actually. That was part of the reason I had called, maybe you would like to have lunch with us on Sunday? Unless you’re busy…” Erwin trailed off.

“No!” Eren yelled out excitedly. _Play it cool, Eren, chill_. “Haha, yeah, that would be awesome.”

Erwin seemed amused at Eren’s eagerness. “Good then, I’ll have to talk to Levi about when and where and get back to you, okay?”

“Alright, sounds great.”

“I hope you enjoy your weekend, Eren, and I’ll get back to you soon. I’m already looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, me too. Bye, Erwin.” Eren was grinning like a madman. “See ya.”

“Goodbye, Eren.” The call ended and Eren had to run his hands over his face to stop smiling- patting his cheeks that had started to cramp up. Holy shit, he had a date with Erwin and Levi. This could be considered a date, right? Right. It did not matter to him. He was going to count it as one.

He climbed onto his bed and finished packing in a hurry. He could not wait to tell Jean about this, the blond highlights were gonna fade away from Jean’s hair. He sent his friend a quick text telling him he was about to leave and would be there soon. He debated whether he should send a follow-up text about the events, but decided he wanted to see the look on Jean’s face for himself, something he knew emojis would not do justice.

He hurriedly put on his shoes and passed by Mikasa’s door, shouting out a ‘Goodbye, my queen’ to which she reached a hand out her door, waving a tissue as a farewell. He locked the door behind him and began the trek to Jean’s.

The boy lived in walking distance, only about 30 minutes away. While Eren and Mikasa lived in the same tiny apartment they had for years with their parents- before Eren’s mother’s death- Jean had successfully moved out of his parents’ home and had gotten a place to call his own. Eren was a frequent visitor and even managed to have Jean set aside a blanket and pillow just for him. He was pretty smug about that. The only other person who visited as often, or more if anything, was Marco but that was to be expected.

When he finally arrived to the door of Jean’s apartment, the initial buzz of excitement had worn off to a feeling of contentment. He knocked and leaned against the frame of the door, a hand on his hip. The sound of footsteps, the familiar slide of the lock, and the first thing Jean saw was the smug smile on Eren’s face. He frowned.

“You’re such a mess.”

Eren laughed and re-adjusted himself. As he walked into the apartment he said, with a certain amount of confidence, “Oh, please, you fucking love this mess.”

“Not even if you paid me to.”

He turned back to Jean with a look of pity and whispered, “Honey, you’re in denial; it’s so sad.”

Jean shoved him into the wall.

“Okay, wow, how rude.” Eren rubbed the shoulder that had absorbed most of the impact. He walked into the living room and placed his bag in a corner of the room. He usually slept on the couch, but sometimes Jean was kind enough to let him into his bed, however, those occasions were spent kicking each other and laughing their asses off. One time, Eren made Jean laugh so hard he could not even gather the strength to climb back into the bed afterwards.

When Eren turned around he saw that Jean had already planted himself on the couch and was flipping through the channels. He took his place on the opposite end and spread his legs out, half in an attempt to make himself comfortable, but mostly to annoy Jean. He managed to intertwine their legs before he heard an angry ‘Eren, get the fuck off.’ He chuckled and shifted into a position that pleased them both.

Eren turned to ask Jean if he had anything specific he wanted to watch in mind, but was stopped when he felt something hit his face.

“You fucking uneducated fuck!” His nose throbbed and he rubbed at it tentatively, worried that he might have been bleeding. Once he was assured that he was not and that no real damage had been done, he glanced down at the offending object that had been swung at his precious face. He picked up the remote and glared at Jean who was trying to muffle his laughter.

“You’re such an inconsiderate asshole, like, how could you do this to me? I trusted you and this is how you repay me?!” Eren threw himself on Jean, putting his entire weight on the boy. Jean had no time to react and was left suffocating under Eren, still trying to catch his breath from laughing so hard.

“Eren, get off! You’re too fucking heavy and I can’t breathe.” Jean wheezed from underneath.

“Serves you right. I’m not moving.”

“Look, I’m sorry, I thought you’d heard when I asked you if you wanted the remote. I threw it thinking you would catch it.” Jean had stopped squirming and offered Eren a remorseful look. He even threw in a pout. Eren sighed and lifted himself off his friend, laying back down on his side of the couch.

He mumbled, “You better be sorry.”

Jean chuckled and replied, “I am, I am. So what do you want to watch?”

Eren shrugged and began searching for horror movies on Netflix. They never really had anything that he wanted to watch, but he was in the mood for a low-quality film. As he looked for one, he remembered that he had yet to mention the date on Sunday to Jean. He cleared his throat and spoke.

“So,” He started with.

Jean looked at him and raised one of his eyebrows. “So?” He questioned.

It was like he was possessed. The second he opened his mouth, the words flowed out. Unlike Armin who offered comments here and there, Jean remained tight-lipped, his expression growing darker as Eren continued.

Eren knew that Jean had a bit of a protective streak for him and his sister, despite their initial difficulties. Jean had a bit of a crush on Mikasa for a while, but that had quickly faded after she expressed her strictly _platonic_ feelings for anyone who was not Armin. He also knew that they had both been feeling each other for the first few years of high school, but with Marco coming into the picture and their confusion over what they felt, nothing had ever happened.

Sometimes Jean would comment on his dislike for all the betas and alphas who wanted Eren, and sometimes Eren would feel a spark of jealousy whenever he saw Marco and Jean at the beginnings of their relationship, but they had both mellowed out. They had slowly accepted that they were not meant to be. The two had happily settled on maintaining a strong friendship which is why Eren did not understand the gloomy look Jean had when he finally finished telling him his tale. The silence filled the room awkwardly.

“Jean?” Eren reached a hand out to him and the handsome boy lightly took it into his own. His friend tried to smile reassuringly and patted Eren’s leg.

“It’s fine, just a lot to take in, ya know?”

Eren nodded and bit his lip. “You’re mad?” He asked but it seemed more of a statement.

“Not really, well, kinda. It’s like, I don’t know. I always joke about you becoming my omega and most of the time I am, but I have thought about it. I mean, of course I have. Have you _seen_ you?” He grinned at Eren who could not help but grin back.

“You really are Old Spice, attracting people of all kinds and shit. I love Marco. He makes everything seem like it will be okay and I believe that. I’m the best me when I’m with him and surely at my happiest. But,” He placed a feather soft kiss on their connected hands before continuing, “I _yearn_ for you. It took me a long time to figure that out and I wish I had said a lot of it much earlier but hey, what can a guy do?”

Eren’s lip was quivering and he did not know if he wanted to laugh or cry- probably a strange combination of both. Jean started to rub soothing circles on the back of his hand.

“I’m not arrogant enough to believe that Marco, you, and me could be a thing. Not at this point. Maybe if we had tried at the beginning or somewhere in the middle, I don’t know. I’m not saying we should try now either because obviously we’ve both chosen our own paths. I’m sorry for telling you all this now, but I just needed to get it all out there while I still had the chance. Sorry, for taking all the glory and thunder out of your news. I support you 100 percent in whatever choice you make, dude. Whether it’s with that Levi guy or the other one, Erwin.”

Jean finished his speech and waited for Eren to talk. His nerves stood on end and he honestly felt like dying. He had told Eren everything he had needed to tell him all those years. Eren’s shoulders had begun to shake and he retracted his hand from Jean’s hold.   

When he finally spoke, his voice broke slightly. “You’re such an asshole. I fucking hate you.”

“I know.”

Eren leaned into Jean and rested his head on his shoulder. “Marco deserves better than you.”

“I know that too.”

They stayed in that position for as long as their bodies allowed them that comfort, the tv emitting soft sounds around them.

Eren was the first to detach himself, whispering a ‘Thank you.’

Jean ran a hand through this blondish, brown hair, humming a bit before telling Eren to ‘put the damn movie on already.’

Eren threw the remote at _his_ face this time, chuckling at his great aim. He snatched his cellphone from the floor as Jean pressed play. He almost dropped it once he saw a certain someone’s name flash across the screen. He quickly unlocked it and scrolled through the message.

**Levi:** _Eren. Erwin told me of the convo you two had earlier._

_How does 1:00pm at Sam’s Sandwich shop sound?_

_We can catch a movie after or just walk around if you want._

_Let me know what’s good for you._

Eren knew he had a dopey smile on his face if Jean’s playful scoff was anything to go by. He nudged at the boy beside him with his big toe and waved his phone around happily. Jean rolled his eyes and turned back to the tv. Eren typed out a short reply.

**Eren:** _Yeah, that sounds great :) I’m looking forward to it!_

The previous message that Levi had sent him had only been sent seven minutes prior so he hoped he replied back quickly. Erwin made him the most comfortable, but it was easier for him to talk to Levi over text since he did not have to endure the man’s intense gaze on him. He felt the vibration from the phone 2 minutes later and eagerly clicked on the message.

**Levi:** _Oh, is that so? When I said I spoke to Erwin_

_I meant he told me everything._

_So /Eren/ how often do you think of us without our suits_

_and who do you think of?_

Holy fuck, was Levi trying to sext him? Nope, nope, nope. He could not handle that right now.

**Eren:** _Haha, you guys think you’re so funny._

_I already told Erwin I didn’t mean it like that >:P_

_you guys just like teasing me. I’m not falling for this a 2nd time_

_I really am looking forward to seeing you guys though_

He sent the text and thought it was safe enough. He did not think Levi would try anything further. His next text came quickly too.

**Levi:** _Alright, alright. It’ll be nice seeing you too, Eren._

_Talk to you soon._

Eren sighed. He thought to himself about what a bullet he just dodged until he felt the buzz again.

**Levi:** _Btw those skinny jeans you wore the other day were_

_great on you. Hoping those make a reappearance sometime soon ;p_

The winking face at the end of the text really did him in. The thought of Levi checking him out was too much to bear. His face was burning and he had to put his phone down.

“Damn, Old Spice. What happened?”

Eren looked up at him with the utmost serious look he could muster. “I think I’m dying.”

Jean scowled and pushed him off. “Not on my couch.”

Eren laughed. Yeah, life was not so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw for those interested, I also wrote a short Levi/Eren oneshot called Over


	5. Mother, Thank You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long but classes really take a toll on how much writing I can get done. This chapter is slightly shorter than the others and is sorta of a break of the events that have happened so far but it all connects towards the end. I'm hoping to update chapter 6 sometime this week or the week after (hopefully). 
> 
> Also, I'm working on a Erwin/Levi oneshot :) along with short asides for 'And So It Happens' that include a bit of Jean/Marco and Mikasa/Armin (I'm super excited for these lmao). Comments, Kudos, etc. any kind of feedback are always welcome.

Eren’s mother often took Mikasa and him to the park that was only 5 minutes away from their apartment complex. She would pack a picnic bag of sandwiches, juice boxes, and a variety of napkins because Eren was the messiest child to have ever lived. His mom liked to compare him to an energizer bunny- the park was a great way for him to exert all the pent up excitement he had in his being.

The park itself was picturesque, big enough for the kids to run around but small enough so the parents would not lose sight of them. In a far corner of the park stood a tall tree that offered shade to the young ones on hot, sweltering days when the heat became unbearable for even the most rambunctious of the pack. To his mother’s chagrin, Eren had developed the deadly habit of climbing the monstrosity that reached towards the skies with its gnarled limbs, planted firmly in place with thick, unyielding roots.

Eren would grasp the first branch, having used his super puppy dog eyes against Mikasa who eventually reluctantly agreed to hoist him up, and began his journey, rising higher and higher. He had enough experience of climbing up to have developed a routine of sorts; the first time he had attempted it his muscles had ached for days on end and despite the scolding his mother had given him for his recklessness, he could not bring himself to regret the feel of leaves and small branches brushing past his face leaving minor scratches as he moved upward towards the flickering of light and greenery that seemed endless. The taste of liquid metal meeting his tongue as he bit hard at the inside of his cheek, the exertion and fatigue running through his tiny figure did nothing to sway him off course. His mother would later clean out his cuts, eyes looking down at him with worry and fondness. _Eren_ , she would say to him, pinching his cheek so he would look her in the eyes, _You’ll be the death of me._

That day had been much like the others, a well-prepared meal, a game of tag with Mikasa and few others, and Eren walked to the tree, ready for another round.

Once his limbs tired out, he grinned wide showing off to the kids down below. Mikasa rolled her eyes and mumbled something about how she wished he would lose his front teeth already so he wouldn’t have anything to smile at like that.

Branch to branch, he moved carefully knowing he was at his limit, however, a small misstep resulted in him missing the one he needed to reach. He gasped as he fell forward, the children who had come to watch beginning to yell and cry over his safety. He hit a thick branch and held onto it for his dear 6 year old life. The fall had hurt him badly and he thought he felt both his knees trickle blood down the rest of his legs. Eren wanted to cry, not once had this happened and for the first time he felt fear waft through him- not the kind shown in horror movies with the protagonist screaming their lungs out and calling out for a higher power, but the sort that paralyzed its victims with the surety that they could nothing as the thing they feared made itself more apparent.

He slowly opened his eyes, as if the action itself would cause the branch to snap, and peeked down. His sister looked up at him and then turned and ran in the direction of their mother. The other children yelled up at him asking if he was alright. He shook his head ‘no’, nothing about this was fine.

Mikasa returned shortly after, his mother trailing behind her quickly. Her lightly tanned face slowly drained of its color, realization that her only son was stuck in a tree shifted from horrified to amusement as it all dawned on her. Mikasa relaxed as she saw Carla walk directly under the tree where Eren would fall if he slipped once more.

“Eren!” Carla called out to him. “Are you hurt anywhere? Can you move?”

Eren looked at his mother, who was attempting to smile reassuringly at him. He called out an _‘I think so!’_

“Eren, honey, do you think you can make it down the rest of the way?”

“No!”

“You’ve done it plenty of times before. I’m sure you can, sweetie.”

“No, I really can’t!” Eren bit his lip before mumbling out, “I’m too scared.”

Carla frowned at the barely heard statement. Mikasa who had been standing by her side, keeping a close eye on Eren, tugged at the hem of her shirt. Carla glanced down.

“Yes, Mikasa?”

Mikasa pulled down her red scarf slightly, “He can jump and you could catch him since it doesn’t look like he’ll come down by himself.”

Carla’s eyebrows furrowed at the statement. Eren was a difficult child when he set his mind on something but with no choice she called out to him once more.

“Eren! I know you’re scared, but we need to get you down. If you can’t come down on your own then you’ll have to jump.” Eren’s eyes squeezed shut at those words. He shook his head and shouted, “I can’t.”

“Yes, you can. I know it’s a hard thing to do, but I need you to trust me, okay? We gotta get you down one way or another. I promise,” she held her arms out to him, ready to catch him at a moment’s notice, “I promise, I _will_ catch you.”

Everything in Eren’s self was screaming at him to ignore his mother’s pleas but the earnest tone of her voice made him think twice. He clenched his little fists tightly before taking a deep breath, and loosened his hold on the branch. One last encouraging call from his mother allowed him to tilt his body to one side and let go at last. The short fall had Eren pleading that he would not die at such a young age. His mother, as promised, caught him and they both tumbled to the ground from his weight and the force he dropped down with.

Eyes still closed, he heard his mother say, “Are you okay?”

He opened them and wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck, whispering a soft, “Yeah. I’m sorry, mom, I’m sorry.” Tears finally sliding down red-tinged, darkly tanned cheeks, Eren’s words becoming less coherent as the apologies forced themselves from his mouth.

“Shhh, it’s okay. You’re fine, my troublesome, darling boy. Eren, you could have hurt yourself badly.” She shifted their positions so he was on standing between her legs. “What would I have done then? Look, you even frightened Mikasa.”

Mikasa played with the end of her scarf at the statement, embarrassed, but glad that her brother was safe. The salty water on his face had mingled with the snot that ran from his nose. Mikasa had never been so disgusted in her life. Her brother was an absolute mess.

As if guessing her thoughts, Carla chuckled and rose from the ground.

“Come on, let’s go home, your father should be there soon. You wouldn’t want him to see you so unsightly, now would you? Mikasa, can you go pick the basket and anything else that’s left over by the benches?”

Mikasa nodded and left. Carla turned to Eren who had quieted down.

“I’m never climbing again.”

The statement surprised Carla, leaving an uneasy feel. As much as she hated the thought of Eren putting himself in harm’s way, she disliked the thought of her headstrong little boy losing that wild passion of his even more.

“Eren, what you did today was very dangerous. I know I’ve always told you not to climb the tree but I never stopped you because I had faith in you.” Eren hung his head in shame. “No, look at me, I’m not disappointed in you either. I just wish you were more careful. You don’t think things through and rush off doing them in whatever manner you want. You push past your boundaries without a second thought and that’s what worries me. You have to take things slowly, adapt and learn from your mistakes.”

“But I’m scared.” The words were filled with as much sadness a 6 year old could muster.

“I know you are and that’s good.” Eren looked at her in confusion. “Being scared means you care for something, it’s important to you and that’s what allows you to be careful with the choices you make from now on. Think of it as having a new resolve. The next time you climb you’ll pay more attention to your surroundings and also how much you can handle. Do you understand?”

Eren nodded an affirmative just as Mikasa returned.

“Great, now let’s go home.” Carla smiled as they began walking to the exit of the park. “See, children, it’s important to learn from your mistakes. There’s always room for improvement. I know you’re scared now, Eren, but you can’t let it get in the way of getting what you want or doing the things you want. That goes for you too, Mikasa.”

“You sound like one of those inspirational speakers on tv,” said the straight-faced Mikasa.

Carla heard the humor in her comment and began to laugh, joined by Eren with a smiling Mikasa at his side.

Eren did not realize the impact his mom’s speech would have even in the time that followed her death. The influence of the tree and his beloved mother resonated through his formative years as pure and vital as spring water.

No matter how difficult it became or how he much he desired to quit, he merely had to think of her kind words and feather touch on his smooth cheeks to launch himself into whatever task came his way. Over and over through the years, it did not matter.

He reminded himself of this as he sat waiting inside the beat up truck he borrowed from his sister. He knew his mother would not be there to catch him this time if he crashed and burned- to kiss him lightly on the forehead whilst humming to him, murmuring words of comfort and love with Mikasa on her other side.

“You gotta make your move, Eren.” He spoke to himself. “Do what you have to do.”

He opened the door to the car and climbed out, making his way nervously to where the two men awaited inside, mother’s words held tight to his heart and in his fist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to contact me via Twitter (@JeevasOrKeehl) I spend most of my time on there lol or Tumblr (jeevasorriver) I will gladly answer any questions or requests or just come and talk to me or something idk whatever floats your boat


	6. Start

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, finals really fucked me over. Like legit. But whatever cuz I'm done with them and I'm finally free lmao. Hopefully I'll have the energy and the time to update often but idk man I just don't know. 
> 
> (Also, I just realized I can finally add a certain tag to this and I'm bursting with joy omg)
> 
> Comments and any other kind of feedback are always welcome.

Sam’s Sandwich shop was your typical run-of-the-mill deli. It was quaint and tidy with tables here and there for the clients. It was a family owned business that had been around for as long as anyone could remember. Eren had visited a few times with some friends during his high school years, cutting class to goof off and drink the occasional beer. The contrast between then and now jarred him a bit until he heard the call of his name. He looked around and found Erwin and Levi sitting at a booth in the corner. Levi appeared to have been crushed into place by Erwin’s bulky frame. _‘And what a nice frame it is.’_ Eren carelessly thought to himself, licking his bottom lip quickly, and walking towards them.

Levi was the first to see him coming. Eren saw him nudge Erwin’s arm and nod in his direction. The happy spread of lips turning upward was enough for him to gather confidence; for the first time he felt as though he made the right choice. He took his seat and hoped he did not look as overwhelmed as he felt. Erwin greeted him and Levi echoed a ‘Hello, Eren.’

“Hey, you guys, been waiting long? Sorry about that.” _At least my voice isn’t shaky_ , he thought to himself.

“Not at all,” Erwin replied. “We just got here a few minutes ago ourselves. The waiter should be back soon, but take your time and look over the menu.”

Eren chuckled. “No, it’s fine, I’m ready to order. I used to come here a lot.”

The waiter came just as Erwin appeared ready to question Eren about his comment. Eren ordered his usual turkey BLT with fries and a coke. Levi ordered his personal favorite, a patty melt while Erwin chose some kind of avocado spinach panini to which Levi response was “Don’t go veggie on me. It’s ungodly.”

Eren laughed at the absurdity of it all.

By the time the food had come, Eren and Levi had gone through a round of bickering as Erwin played the role of peacekeeper. He did not realize how ravenous he was until he bit into the sandwich. Erwin dug into his meal with as much gusto as Levi watched in mild disgust. Avocado was certainly not to his taste, the texture was too strange for him.

They made small talk as they ate. Erwin asking him about his classes and friends.

“So you’re best friends with your sister?” Levi asked, eyebrow raised.

“You make it sound like it’s a bad thing. Mikasa is cool. Our dad got her a Harley-Davidson for her 18th birthday and let me tell you, she looks positively badass riding it. Mikasa was that one kid on the block that no one messed with because they knew they would end up with their head in the sand if they did.”

Erwin chuckled and said, “Your sister sounds somewhat intimidating.”

Eren stuck a fry in his mouth as he thought about that. “I guess she is when you first meet her, but I think that’s mostly because she’s an alpha and her resting face makes her look peeved all the time.” He took a sip of his drink. “We have a friend named Sasha who is about one of the biggest goofballs ever and devours food like no one’s business. She has like five stomachs or something. Her and Mikasa get along great though. It really comes as a surprise to people when they first meet them, but personally I think a lot of people underestimate Sasha.”

“You have very interesting friends, Eren,” Erwin said, amusement clear in his blue eyes.

“Yeah, I guess I do. We’ve all known each other since we were in diapers.” Eren smiled. “A lot of them have actually gotten together, in fact, Mikasa is actually mated to my other best friend, Armin!”

Levi smiled slightly at the happiness that appeared on Eren’s face as he continued on about his friends.

“It was a bit of a surprise at first, but I mean they love each other. Then there’s Marco and Jean.” Eren looked away from Levi and Erwin as he remembered Jean’s confession. The reaction was not lost on either of the alphas. He cleared his throat and continued. “They been together for a while now though things have been a bit rocky since Marco joined the army. He’s a great guy though and him and Jean make it work.”

“Historia and Ymir are inseparable. You mess with Historia and Ymir will rip your goddamn throat out. She’s a wild child, but Historia keeps her in check. I once made the mistake of hitting on Historia,” Eren shuddered at the memory, “but this was before I knew they were going out. She just seemed like a cool person, ya know.”

“Well, alphas have been known to be protective of their lovers,” Levi said.

Eren shook his head. “Yeah, but Ymir is a _beta_. Historia isn’t like that even though she’s an alpha.”

“Ahh, I see. The way you spoke about them I just assumed…” Levi trailed off.

Eren let it pass. “It’s cool. Lots of people think so too at first but it’s just that Ymir has a very strong personality. Historia is calmer and tiny to boot, but she’s a fierce little thing.”

As Eren finished his statement something occurred to him.

“You know, you two are actually pretty suspicious,” Eren said while munching on his meal.

“Oh, how so?” inquired Erwin.

“You’re always going on and on about how you wanna get to know me, but you’ve yet to tell me anything about yourselves, like, say how you two met.”

Erwin smiled at him, glancing at Levi quickly, before settling his gaze on Eren again. “Levi and I are childhood friends of sorts. We met sometime during our middle school years and have been close ever since.

“I buried Erwin’s face in some mud after a few meetings. Everyone thought he was some hotshot and his smile annoyed the hell out of me.” Levi’s mouth quirked up slightly at the memory.

“Yes, but now it is I who buries _your_ face into the pillows.” Erwin leaned back into his chair, satisfied with himself. Eren, however, looked mortified as the meaning of Erwin’s words ran through his head.

“Wait, wait, wait.” He looked between the two men, astonished. “You’re telling me that you two are together? As in, _together_ together?”

Erwin and Levi stared him down, unsure whether Eren was pulling their leg or just outright had not known about the nature of their relationship until this moment. Levi spoke first, carefully and wary.

“Erwin and I are in a relationship. Eren, I thought you knew.”

Eren stared at them both in shock. He thought back to all the times he had seen them together, always side by side not across from one another as colleagues and friends usually sat- sitting as he was from them. The distance between them felt immeasurable at that moment. _‘They’re lovers_ ’ was what kept streaming in and out from one end to the other in his mind.

It was not that they were together that rubbed him wrong. Thinking on it now, he could see how well they contemplated each other. Erwin, on a first glance, was the Prince Charming that people dreamt about in their youth- handsome, amiable, and intelligent. Levi was the Huntsman, raw and powerful, his tough exterior making it seem almost impossible for someone to worm their way into his good graces. Erwin despite all his good qualities was not as well intentioned as he made himself seem. He was perceptive and shrewd, using his skills to influence people. In fact, Eren may not have noticed the man behind the smile at all, but years of close friendship with Armin had taught him well.

His own friend possessed the brilliant attributes and Eren had grew by his side, watching Armin come into his talents.

Erwin was a calculating man and while his personality should have clashed with Levi’s, it did not. Levi was blunt and crude but Erwin served as his buffer and likewise as well. What Erwin could not say, Levi could; what Levi could not express, Erwin could. They fit so well together yet they managed to stand as two independent pillars. Eren thought himself a fool for not noticing before and in his reverie he blamed himself. How could he sit here and try to wedge himself between them?

“I think I should go home. Um, I’m really sorry I never meant to be a homewrecker.” He stood up and began to turn away when he felt a hand grasp his right wrist. He looked back to find Levi staring at him intently and tugging him back, a frowning Erwin by his side.

“Eren, sit down and listen. You get so caught up in your emotions that you fail to actually pay attention to what’s going on around you. Both parties of this relationship are present and aware of the attraction we each feel for you and it’s not getting in the way of anything. Your thick skull is the only real troubling thing around here.” Levi let go of his wrist as Eren sat back down. “It isn’t an issue, Eren. Erwin and I have already discussed it and whether you choose one of us or both it doesn’t matter.

Eren sat there dumbfounded and unsure of how to respond. The thought of two guys being interested in him at the same time astounded him, but the thought of two guys who were together being interested on him was absolutely life changing. He opened his mouth to speak but the words seemed to have lodged themselves deep down. Erwin looked on at him with pity.

“Eren, if it really makes you that uncomfortable, then you can always walk away and we wouldn’t bother you any longer.”

Eren rubbed at his temples, frustrated at his inability to voice his thoughts. His cheeks began to warm as he consider the situation. He cupped his face in his hands and said, “I’m not uncomfortable. I’m actually pretty flattered, like, I don’t know how any of this will work out but I can’t say I’m not curious.”

Erwin’s tensed shoulders had begun to relax until he heard Levi speak, a seductive almost sinister smile on his usually passive face.

“Curious to see what’s underneath the suits, right?”

Eren began to stutter, waving his hands about him as to highlight his denial. Erwin laughed at his antics while Levi sipped at his glass of water, clearly pleased at the reaction he received.

Eren’s mouth formed into a pout. “How rude.”

“You shouldn’t have tried to seem so coy.”

Eren stuck his tongue out at Levi, appearing disgruntled until finally he looked back at the two alphas and smiled, hand coming up in a feeble attempt to hide it. He never thought he could have anything like this. He always thought he would end up alone or worse, with some no good alpha who only ordered him around. Levi and Erwin made it seem so easy. They were firm in their decision to try this out, but Eren had no clue what to make of it. He stirred his straw inside his drink and looked out the window enjoying the small lapse in conversation that had settled into sounds of food being chewed and drinks swallowed.

Levi paid after they ate not allowing Erwin and Eren to argue against his actions. Eren had enjoyed his time with them and was already thinking of setting up another date (or dates if things went his way) when he considered how they would settle their goodbyes at the door. Did he shake their hands as a farewell? He could not necessarily kiss both of them; they were dating after all, yet they had said they had already put thought into this. Before he knew it they were standing at the exit and Erwin had bent over him to plant a chaste kiss on his right cheek. Levi motioned Eren downward and gave him one right on the mouth, a dazed Eren licking his lips before he realized that Levi was still kissing him. Levi finally let him go with a small wave, and a faint ‘See ya soon’ left out in the open air, before leaving with a reluctant Erwin who gave Eren a quick kiss again before saying his goodbye.

Eren stood for a second longer watching them go before heading to Mikasa’s truck. The ride home was sweet and blissful as he recalled their first date. The sun had just begun to set, streaks of blood orange and yellow painted up above.

When he arrived home he was unsurprised to find Armin planted on the couch wearing a pair of his sweatpants. The blonde grinned at him and gestured to the tv. “Wanna watch a movie? You can tell me about how great your date went.”

Eren threw himself face down on the couch. “You don’t know that it went well. It might have been a total catastrophe.”

“Eren, your face tells all. I even think you’re blushing.” Armin squinted his eyes at him. “Are you?”

“Shut up.” Eren rolled his eyes and smiled. “You’re right it went pretty well.” He sighed.

“Uh huh, so what’s with the sighing? What did you do this time?”

“I didn’t do anything; why do people always assume I fucked something up?!”

“Because you’re a fuckup.”

“Okay, wow, rude. Jesus fuck, Armin, thanks.”

“You’re very welcome, Eren.”

Armin drew himself closer to Eren and politely poked him with his toes. “So what happened?”

Eren drew in a deep breath. “Erwin and Levi are dating, like, they fuck and all that jazz.”

Eren’s mother once told him that Armin had sky eyes. They were a clear blue that changed depending on his moods, but most of all the depth they held made people feel as though they were lying down staring into God’s eyes themselves. Armin was giving him that look now, it was thoughtful, peaceful even, as they absorbed and calculated what Eren just told him.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Erwin and Levi are together.”

“They’re both alphas, right?”

“Yup.”

Armin tilted his head back and stared up at the ceiling. “Huh.”

“Yeah.”

“So what is it that they want from you, I mean, if they have each other? Is this some kind of game to them? Are they using you, Eren?” Armin was on the verge of shouting and Eren was not sure whether Mikasa was home or not so he quickly shushed him.

“No, Armin, they just told me that they were both kinda into me and they wanted to see where we could take it from there. I like them, like really like them. They’re great and they seem sincere enough.” Eren tried to reassure his friend. “Don’t worry, I know how to handle myself.”

“I know you do but, Eren, you haven’t had any real relationships. You haven’t had the chance to experience any of the ups and downs. Do you really think you know what you’re doing?”

“Armin, I haven’t had any kind of relationship because every alpha or beta I’ve met has decided to be a complete and utter asshole. I finally met, not one, but two alphas who seem to appreciate who I am rather than the title of omega I’ve been given.” Eren ran his fingers through his hair pushing it back. “You’re right though, I have no clue about what I’m doing.”

Armin patted his shoulder. “There, there. Just think on it and I’m sure you’ll do what’s best for you.” 

Eren groaned and stretched out his body so that his head lay on the arm of the sofa. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“At least your date was fun.”

Eren grinned. “They’re so hot, Armin. Holy fucking shit, they looked so good.”

“You’re so thirsty, Eren, calm down. Keep your pants on.” Armin giggled.

Eren whacked him in the arm and then turned to him. “Am I cute? I know I’m not ugly but am I attractive?”

Armin rolled his eyes at the question. “Are you kidding me, Eren?!”

“Just checking.”

“You’re so much work, oh my god, I don’t know how Mikasa puts up with you. Look, I’ll put on the movie and you go make the popcorn.”

“Yes, sir.”

When Eren returned with the goods Armin started the movie, the two laughing and poking fun at the childish antics going on between the characters.

Later, his sister would return home finding her boys in a deep slumber with tangled sheets about them. Mikasa smiled as she flickered off the lights and the tv, picking Armin up and taking him to her room. She then returned for her brother, kicking the door to his room open and placing him on his bed. She shut the door behind her and went to grab a drink of water before heading to sleep. Mikasa heard a familiar click come from the front door of the apartment just as she reached the entrance to the kitchen, startling her as she turned towards it.

She debated in that second whether she had enough time to run to her room to get the bat she kept under her bed. No one was gonna come into her home without her permission.

The door swung open and in stepped a tired looking man; a man who resembled her father but appeared more worn out than her memories recalled.

“Welcome home,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr: jeevasorriver  
> Twitter: @JeevasOrKeehl


	7. Bada Bing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lmao, it's been a helluva year but hey, here we are. First things first: I'm so, so, so sorry that I haven't updated until now. I've had a shit ton of things happen this past summer and this school year has been no better. On a better note, I'm finally updating! Guess who's been slowly dying since the start of their sophomore year in college? Yeah, that's right, this homie right here. Oh well, fuck it. Anyway, hopefully I can get back into a routine of sorts and update more often (who knows? certainly not me lmao) I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I have so many bombass ideas for upcoming chapters; let's hope I can make it haha. Also, this hasn't been properly scrutinized or read through so please excuse any errors. I'll get to them when I can

It had not been his best idea but he justified it by reminding himself that he deserved to have one night. Just one night without any thought of his withering family and the crippling fear he felt every time he thought about the direction his life was heading. When his good friend Reiner called him up for a boys night out how could he possibly say no? Investing in fake I.D.s had never been on his list of regrets.

He sighed and continued to sip on his drink. Jean who had been by his side the entire night glanced at him and furrowed his eyebrows. Eren shook his head, there was nothing the boy should be concerned over. _I’m fine_ , he kept saying, hoping to convince himself more than all the others.

Okay, so maybe things with his dad had not gone so bad… or bad at all. It startled him how well they had gone in fact.

_Eren had known it would be awkward but he had not considered that it would be this awkward. His father had arrived at the dead of night after his fantastic date with those who shall not be named and it had been almost a slap in the face to see him seated at the table as Mikasa and Armin worked around the kitchen making breakfast. Mikasa had been the first to notice him as he peeped into the room almost shyly, not knowing how to greet his father._

_As he eased his way into the familial setting his father had turned to look at him and held a tentative smile on his aged face. The morning had passed almost uneventful, murmurings of “How have you been?” and “Any plans for today?” tossed along as plates of food were handed from one side to the other. It was almost as if someone had conducted freaky alien experiments while they had all slept and had even cloned his father. The morning had fleeted by as they all disbanded from the table, heading for work or classes._

It had been a two weeks since then and Eren was tired of walking on eggshells. Mikasa was content enough playing daughter to a beloved father, but Eren always had trouble accepting new things. He did not hate his dad. The thought made him grip at his glass tighter. Things should not be this complicated.

He sighed once more and chugged down the rest of his drink only to have another one slammed down next to him on his left. He looked at the bulky mass of his blonde friend who in turn winked down at him.

“Thanks, man, it’s like you read my mind.” Eren grinned at Reiner.

“None needed,” he said, drinking from his own. “So I heard you got two tough pieces of jerky after ya?”

Eren whipped around quickly to face Jean who had begun backing away, hands up to shield his face. He narrowed his eyes at the traitor and demanded, “How could you?”

Jean ran his fingers nervously back through the dyed locks of hair that kept falling into his field of vision. He glanced away from Eren who kept staring him down. “Uh, I think I hear Connie calling me,” Jean pointed off in some random direction.

“Jean.”

“Fuck, damn it, Reiner,” Jean cursed before settling on Eren. “Look, I only told him and Marco and I didn’t even mean to! I swear I haven’t opened my mouth to anyone else and I’m sorry it won’t happen again.”

Eren eyed him suspiciously before rolling his eyes, “Yeah, I’m sure it won’t.”

Reiner laughed loudly as Eren brooded a bit more. “So, come on, Yeager, what’s the deal?”

Eren glared at Jean again who smiled sheepishly before addressing Reiner, “How much do you know?”

“Eh, just that you got some two hot alphas after your omega tush…” he trailed off, hoping Eren would get the hint.

Which he had so he continued, “Yeah, that’s pretty much it but I guess Jean forgot to include one thing.”

“Oh yeah, and what’s that?”

“They’re already dating each other.”

Reiner whistled and wagged his eyebrows. “That’s a hell of a combo you got going on there, Eren.”

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” Eren said.

“Sex must be a hell of an experience though,” Reiner nudged the tan boy beside him who groaned in response.

“Ugh, can we not discuss this right now? I just wanna get trashed so I can forget about all this, not remind myself of it.”

“Are you telling me you haven’t done anything yet? Seriously?” Jean piped in.

Eren finished off his second drink of the night easily. He guessed it would not hurt if he vented to his friends.

“No, we haven’t had sex. It just hasn’t really come up. I don’t know, maybe they don’t feel comfortable yet or they don’t wanna pressure me but it’s honestly bugging me because they never do more than a kiss on the cheek here or a peck on the lips there.”

“Well, have you tried making the first move?” asked Jean.

“No, I’m embarrassed,” Eren muttered shyly.

“Fuck, you’re hopeless. Alright, here’s the plan: we’re gonna get shitfaced and then deal with this in the morning. Eren, get ready to make your momma proud, we’re gonna get your ass laid by the end of this month.”

“YEAH, I CAN DRINK TO THAT,” shouted out Connie who had shown up halfway through as Eren was talking. He was already slightly intoxicated and had very little knowledge of what his friends were previously discussing; it made no matter to him.

Another round of drinks went around and out went his worries. Jean was right, he would worry about it in the morning.

Or so he had told himself.

The worries _had_ followed him the next morning, but had made their appearance in a different fashion, one that involved him hugging the rim of the toilet in Jean’s bathroom. After emptying his stomach he crawled back into his makeshift bed on the couch, enjoying the greasy smell of bacon being cooked in the kitchen by Jean as Reiner set the table. He smiled, _good ol’ mom and pop at work._

“Eren’s being weird again,” Connie yelled out from underneath the mountain of blankets on the ground, “He’s over here smiling by himself. I think we gotta get him checked out again.”

“Shut up, Connie!”

Connie snickered and rolled over, “Hey, man, your phone’s been ringing nonstop, shut it off already.”

Eren leaned over to grab it off the coffee table, unlocked it and began scrolling through the messages he sent and was sent in return. It was his usual ‘I love you’s’ to Mikasa and memes sent by Armin as replies. _This isn’t so bad_ , he thought to himself, _it could be a lot worse_.

He had never spoke so soon.

He gasped in horror as he moved from one conversation to the next. The one he had had with Erwin, apparently, during his drunken tryst. He sat up and clutched a pillow to his chest for support.

“Jean! Reiner! Get out here now!” He screamed at them from the living room. Connie moved and sat on the other end of the couch as Jean came and placed himself in between them, confusion clear on his face.

“What’s going on, Eren?” asked Reiner as he stood at the doorway.

“I drunk texted Erwin and Levi,” Eren whispered, mortified.

“You fucking did not!” Connie gasped excitedly. “You fucking fuck up, holy shit!”

“Holy shit, Yeager, I have to agree with Thing One here.” Jean smiled weakly at him.

“What exactly did you say?” Reiner inquired.

Eren groaned, “I asked for nudes, like, legit just the word ‘nudes’ and question mark.”

Jean winced. Connie nodded his head in sympathy.

“And I went on to talk about how good I think they look.”

“Well, what did he say? Wait, which one did you text?” Connie asked.

“I texted Erwin but I guess he must have shown Levi or something because there are some messages that are signed off with an ‘E’ and some with an ‘L.’ Erwin just said that I’m gonna regret asking for nudes in the morning and he just pretty much tried to rationalize with drunk me and I was being such a douche telling them how attractive they are and that they almost seem too good to be true.”

“Why didn’t you just say you wanted to marry them and spend the rest of your life with them in a rainbow field, Jesus Christ, Eren.” Connie laughed as Eren attempted to smother himself with a pillow.

“Did they say anything else?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t finish reading.” Eren lifted his head and began scrolling through his phone, almost dropping it as he reached one he couldn’t believe he had been sent or had ever seen. The picture held the objects of his affection in a glory of partial nudity. Erwin and Levi had deemed it acceptable to send him an image of themselves without any kind of clothing covering their upper body and Eren just about flung his phone out the window.

He was shaken out of his daze by Jean who looked overly concerned about him.

“You alright there? You know you have to _breathe_ if you want to live, right?” Jean joked.

“They sent me a pic of themselves, _shirtless_ ,” Eren said, breathless.

“I gotta see this,” Connie moved to snatch the phone from Eren.

“No, go away.” Eren stood up and left, walking to the bathroom and locking himself inside as Connie complained. He texted a quick apology to Erwin, asking if they could possibly meet up for coffee later so he could properly talk to them. He brushed his teeth and washed his face. He joined the boys at the table seeing that Connie had settled down at Reiner’s behest.

“Better?” Reiner asked.

Eren glanced down at his phone, reading the short confirmation that flashed across his screen.

“Yeah, definitely.”

He ate slowly and calmly now that the initial drama had passed by, other troubling thoughts kept at bay for now. He did not know what exactly he was going to say, but he knew what he wanted to discuss: their sexual relationship or lack thereof. He wasn’t sure he was ready to go all the way with them. He wasn’t even sure how that worked- two alphas? He just knew he wanted _something_ to happen. He sighed and kept his eyes on the clock.

“Hey guys, I think I’m gonna head home now.” Eren said after the mess in Jean’s apartment had been cleaned up.

Goodbyes said, he spent the entire journey home thinking of what he wanted from this entire thing. On his arrival home he came to two conclusions, one of which he was saving for later but the current one did nothing to appease his now irritated mood. There was no one home and he could only guess that Mikasa was out spending the day with their father. She had taken it upon herself to reacquaint their father with his old home. Eren could not help but think to himself that she wouldn’t need to do that if Grisha had not left in the first place and for so long.

Eren decided to rinse himself of the filth he accumulated on his night out. Afterwards, he dressed himself in a simple t-shirt and black jeans. The time had come for him to bring it or not… whichever would help him out of this.

He had told Erwin to meet him at the usual place. As he entered he was pleased to note that Annie was working the shift. He ordered his drink and quickly seated himself at their spot. He was nervous and he wasn’t sure how this conversation would end.

The jingling of the doorbell caught his attention. Erwin waved at him as he walked up to the counter to place his and Levi’s orders. Levi entered shortly after having been, Eren assumed, parking the car. He kissed Eren lightly on the cheek before sitting across from him, the beginnings of a smirk playing on his lips. Erwin joined them, sliding in next to Eren, and handed the drink to Levi.

“So I take it you’re sober now?” Erwin teased.

“Hmm, that I am,” Eren smiled timidly.

“So what did you wanna talk to us about, Eren? I’m curious to find out considering how much you seemed to have been withholding until last night.”

Eren chuckled awkwardly and coughed. “Yeah, about that, I don’t know how to phrase this or ask, but oh fuck it, why haven’t you guys touched me yet or at least given me a proper kiss or something?”

His face darkened and he continued to blurt out, “Are you guys not attracted to me in that way or are you worried I’ll say no?” He stared out the window as he waited for their answer. He felt ashamed that he had asked so brazenly but he didn’t know how else he could without embarrassing himself and everyone who was in a 100ft vicinity of him.

He felt a hand come up to rest on his shoulder and turned to look at Erwin who was smiling at him. He glanced at Levi who also held an amused gaze at him. He felt himself relax.

“Truthfully, we were waiting for you to bring it up since we weren’t entirely sure how you felt about all this or if you even wanted to continue,” Erwin explained, “but since you seem so eager…”

“Ready whenever you are, kid,” Levi added.

Eren shifted in his seat. “You have no idea what a relief this is.”

“I can think of other things that could use a bit of relief if you catch my drift,” Levi winked at Eren who blushed lightly.

“That wasn’t the only thing I wanted to talk to you guys about,” Eren continued, “I want to be intimate with you guys but I don’t know if I’m actually ready. I mean, of course, I’m sure it would be great and all, but I don’t know if we’re moving too quick or what. I want to do this right.”

“Of course, Eren. We would never do anything to cause you discomfort. Levi and I are willing to take this at whatever pace you’d feel most comfortable in,” Erwin stressed as Levi nodded his assent.

“Yeah, I know which is why I want to ask you guys something and please don’t feel like it’s something you have to do, but I’ve honestly been curious as to how this would work out, ya know with me being an omega and you two alphas. What I’ve mostly thought about is how is it that you two… ya know?” Eren finished off feebly.

Erwin raised his eyebrows and glanced at Levi who was staring hard at them and appeared to be contemplating Eren’s words. Erwin, however, never was one to let a golden opportunity pass him by so he moved closer to Eren until his breath hit Eren’s ear and then whispered, “You want to see one take the other’s knot?” He rubbed the underside of Eren’s chin with his finger. “Or is it that you want to join in as well?”

Eren smiled. Erwin was certainly a force to be reckoned with, but he would not be deterred from the choice he had struggled making. He took the man’s hand from his face and let it drop, noting the look of apprehension that danced across his face before settling into slight uneasiness. Levi’s gaze had not left them.

“I just want to watch,” Eren said simply and calmly. “It’s not that I’m not interested in joining in at some point, but you have to understand, I haven’t ever done anything like this before. This is scary and exciting, yeah, but you have to see where I’m coming from. All my life I’ve been told how weak and fragile I am despite the opposite being true.” Eren leaned back in his seat, his fingers lacing together in front of him.

Levi spoke finally. “So make it clear, Eren, what exactly do you want and what do you think you’ll be getting by watching Erwin and me fuck?”

“Levi-” Erwin began chastising his lover before Eren waved off his concern.

“What I want, no, I should say what I’ll be _getting_ ,” Erwin’s gaze flickered back at the assured tone Eren took, “is the chance to see firsthand for myself what I’ll be joining in on. You guys have nothing to lose, taking on an inexperienced omega with no worries or cares in the world, right? However, I’m not like that. If this doesn’t work out you guys will have each other at least.”

“I’m not saying there won’t be any hurdles but come on, you guys must have thought about this? Two alphas and one omega?” He questioned.

“He’s much brighter than the impression he gives off on people, isn’t he?” Levi asked Erwin, the teasing tone taking away from his otherwise solid expression.

Erwin chuckled and spoke, “Everything you’ve said is true, Eren, and I apologize if everything up to this point made you think we would toss you aside after we’ve had relations.” The gleam in Erwin’s eyes should have worried him, but Eren never feared a dance with the devil.

“Alright then,” Erwin said, “You’ll watch.” He turned with a questioning look and asked, “Levi?”

Levi shrugged, “Let him watch.”

Eren smiled and this time the hunger behind it startled Erwin. “I’ll watch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ALMOST FORGOT BUT JESUS FUCKING, thanks to all of you who've spent the time leaving comments/kudos/ or even just glancing at this story like damn thank you guys so much


	8. Darling, Let Me Regret This On My Own If There Are Any

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, my apologies for the late update but my life has really been shitting on me or rather me on it lmao anyway I was this close to abandoning all my writing but fuck that! So this chapter really surprised even me and I'm v curious to see how all this progresses because I have sooooo much planned for this fic :) 
> 
> Kudos/Comments/ any feedback is always welcome!

It was not uncommon for Armin to stay the night in Mikasa’s bed. His mate lying peacefully at his side as he rested his head on her outstretched arm. He enjoyed waking up in the morning to her dark hair spread out on both their pillows, mingling with his own golden locks. She had cut her hair a few months back on Eren’s urging but it had already grown past her shoulders. While Mikasa was only a few inches taller than him, her long legs always managed to wrap themselves around his and made her appear much larger than him.

A young Armin had not imagined that he would share this sort of intimacy with one of his best friends. Mikasa had always been the one to frighten the bullies away. Eren had tried, of course, but he was not the quiet, unstoppable force that his sister was.

She often garnered the attention of those around her, alphas, betas, and omegas alike. Not that it ever surprised anyone, Mikasa always seemed to be on a completely different level than most people. Armin knew, however, that she was incredibly down to earth and mindful of others. She hardly ever incited battles with other alphas, treated betas with just as much respect and always made sure her presence never caused any sort of discomfort for the omegas around. It was more than anything any of the other alphas tried for anyone around them.

Mikasa was the kind of person who everyone thought deserved only the best because _she_ was one of the best. It was a shock to everyone, including Armin himself, when one Valentine’s Day he hurriedly rushed out of class- the bell blaring as loud as the students who filled the halls- and maneuvered past people with his slight and boyish frame. He arrived at her locker before she did and for that he had been grateful; it gave him time to mentally prepare. He didn’t have much time though and Mikasa was as silent as ever, startling him when she finally appeared.

“Armin,” she said calmly, adjusting her faded red scarf as she opened her locker and stuffed it with her textbooks.

“Mikasa,” he said quietly to avoid any eavesdropping, “we’ve known each other for a long time now and…” Armin was cut short as someone jumped on him from behind. He gasped loudly, “Eren!”

“Hey, what’s up?” Eren grinned down at him. Armin was usually pleased to see his impish friend but this was horrible timing on Eren’s part. His nerves were already on the frits; he could only imagine that the look on his face reflected just that. So much for keeping his cool.

“Eren, Armin had something to tell me before you interrupted him,” Mikasa said, staring Eren down so he would catch the hint and leave. Eren met his sister’s peeved gaze and released the short blond, “Alright, alright. Armin, text me when you get the chance.”

“Sure thing,” he responded. He sighed and turned back to Mikasa when Eren was out of sight. Mikasa was looking at him curiously, tucking back a few stray strands behind her ear. “Can we talk somewhere a bit more privately?” he asked, smiling slightly.

They made their way out of the school and onto the streets that were buzzing with people and noise. A lot of omegas were prone to anxiety because of the high chances of them being attacked in their everyday lives and having to withstand the restrictions placed on them because of their status. Armin had been a great deal more timid when he was younger because of that. He had envied Eren’s enduring nature, how easily he moved through a world that held no place for his friend, for himself, for any of them, in fact. He eventually learned to ignore the sneering betas and alphas who paid him just a bit _too_ much attention.

They walked till they reached a quiet, narrow path that would lead them directly to the back side of Mikasa’s apartment building. Armin slowed his pace and Mikasa followed silently by his side, enjoying the decent weather.

“You know,” he began, staring directly ahead of him as if willing himself to imagine she was not really there with him, “I’ve always found the idea of finding a mate very _unappealing_.” He weighed the word on his tongue, swallowing it back roughy as if it actually physically pained him.

Mikasa could tell he was nervous. He had stopped and was scratching the underside of his arm, shifting his weight from foot to the other repeatedly, and avoided looking her in the eyes. She waited patiently for him to finish. He began walking ahead of her and she trailed behind him. She knew Armin would not have taken the time to talk to her if it wasn’t something important or at the very least, intriguing.

“Armin, we’ve known each other for as long as I’ve known my own brother. If you have something to say, you know you can tell me,” she said, sincerely.  

He breathed in deeply before replying, “Mikasa, have you ever considered taking on an omega?” Armin instantly noticed the second his words clicked in her mind.

Mikasa’s eyes narrowed, “Armin, you don’t have feelings for me.”

It was neither an allegation nor said or caused by doubt. Mikasa never detected any kind of romantic inclination from Armin.

“You’re right, I don’t, well at least not anything other than friendship.” _For now at least_ , he added. “I do love you, just like I do Eren or Jean for example.” 

“Then why suggest what you’re considering?”

Armin liked that Mikasa could keep up with him. It made things so much easier. “I don’t like living like I’m livestock to be sold and bred. Eren is always going off about these things and underneath all the self angst and anger, he has some very good points. Look, I don’t expect you to completely understand or even agree immediately but I want to choose for myself my own partner and life.”

“I’m not strong like Eren, not even mentally let alone physically. I can’t bull my way through life. I don’t want some alpha to stake some weird claim on me either so before that happens I’m asking, well,” his face began to turn a pretty pink that reached his ears, “will you go out with me?”

“You do know that most relationships start off because people genuinely like each other, right?” she asked, an amused look crossing on her otherwise passive face.

“I do _genuinely_ like you,” he smiled brightly at her.

She scowled at him, “You know what I mean.”

“I do. So do you happen to have an answer for me now? I don’t mind waiting either but I’m also really curious to know.”

Mikasa let out a soft sigh and reached for her house key. Eren was probably hanging out at Jean’s. She opened the door and allowed Armin inside, closing it behind her and locking it with the chain.

“You don’t have to settle,” she said as she turned back to him and headed towards her room. He had to laugh, doubling over and even snorting once. _Was she blind?_

“Trust me, that’s the last thing I’m doing. Mikasa, I really do think this could work,” he replied as he followed her. He seated himself on the edge of her bed and watched her as she laid her belongings about. “And if it doesn’t we can always remain friends.”

“You’re awfully chipper about this.”

“I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

“Why me?”

“Why not?”

Her dark eyes watched him unwaveringly. She had not expected any of this in the slightest but she had to admit he had her interest. Armin was usually so reserved and withdrawn though far more sociable than her. His slight frame and kind, understanding demeanor gave people no cause to see him as a threat but Mikasa knew his strengths lied in his mental capabilities. _A kitten that no one ever bothered to declaw._

She was wary of him now.

Mikasa’s room was painted in a light lavender shade, dark midnight blue curtains were forever closed and a few remnants of her preteen years still held their place on her walls.

He hadn’t moved from his spot on her bed and he appeared quite comfortable there she noticed. She approached and stood before him, his sky eyes peered up at her, wondering, so she kissed him. Softly, very softly, Armin reached his fingers to the side of her face and held it gingerly as if _she_ were the one who could easily be broken by _him._ Mikasa pulled away slightly and pushed him down, crawling and settling herself above him.

“This is your chance to back out now and we can forget about this,” she murmured.

“I’m not running away,” he whispered back, heart pounding. He never experienced this sort of intimacy with anyone before and it was killing him- all she did was kiss him and he was already putty in her hands though he imagined anyone would be intimidated if they had Mikasa perched over them.

She made no further move to touch him.

“Mikasa, I want this,” he said and pulled her back in. _I want my own life._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on Twitter (TitanOrBastard) or Instagram (titanorbastard) or Tumblr (jeevasorriver)


	9. I Am Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shrugs

Mikasa tried her best not to meddle in her brother’s affairs. Eren was always a concern though and nothing he ever did caused her any ease of mind. During their middle school years, she had even contemplated tying him to her so that she could keep an eye on him. 

Not that he would allow her.

As stubborn and wild as her brother was she had to give him credit: he had mellowed out nicely. By the time they had hit college, Eren had not gotten into a physical altercation with anyone for over a year and Mikasa shone with pride at that. Their high school teachers never bit their tongues, spewing bad comments about her brother here and there as if she could not hear them. 

She knew what an odd friend group they had. Mikasa and Armin dominating at the top of their class, hanging out with the “trouble child.” When news came out that Eren and her were adoptive siblings, teachers everywhere breathed a sigh of relief, not because they thought she could help Eren,  _ oh no, he was way beyond their help _ . But they simply wanted a justification as to why such a top-notch student could stomach Eren.

She loathed them for that. 

When Eren was 15, he wanted to join the army. He wanted to make something of himself, someone his mom could look down on and smile and be filled with pride for. He wanted to be strong and admired like his sister. When he was 15, he fought and bled without a care in the world, enjoying the exhilarating feeling that he may just die from one more punch. He picked fights like no one’s business and paid the price for his attempted greatness. 

He was 15 and had never seen his sister cry until the day he showed up bloody, bruised, and limping. He could hardly stand; didn’t even know how he got home. He had knocked as hard as he could and then leaned against the wall, slumping. Mikasa had been shocked seeing him. She had him propped up on the couch as she tended to his wounds and Eren knew how much it hurt her seeing him in that state.

“Mikasa.” She ignored him. 

“Please, just hear me out.” He coughed and spat out blood.

“You shouldn’t be talking. Don’t push yourself, we’ll talk later,” she said, apathetically.

Eren noticed how she wouldn’t look him in the eye and he felt the sting of tears in his; he fought those back too. He had barely made it back this time and still felt every blow keenly.

He was 15 and Mikasa was scared for her brother. So terrified and frustrated over the choices he made, she pushed him, cornering her brother just as he was finishing up another fight one afternoon, she quickly disposed of his opponent. Eren had shrieked at her,  _ why are you always getting in my way?! _

Her own mind screamed back at him,  _ because you’re my brother and you don’t know what you’re doing, you fucking asshole. Why don’t you ever listen? _

Instead she merely looked at him, “Eren, please be more careful. Aren’t you a bit too old for this now? When are you going to grow up?”   


He was furious but mostly, from what she could see, he was embarrassed. Good. So she pushed a bit further, biting her tongue after, quietly ashamed.  _ Mikasa _ ,  _ please;  _ her mother’s words rattled her brain. That erased any doubts from then on. 

“Eren, how do you think mom would feel if she saw how you act now?” she questioned him, feeling the own pang in her heart. “I thought you wanted to make her proud?”

He was quiet the entire way home. The summer heat was just as stifling in the afternoon walk home as it had been in the morning. Mikasa trudged up ahead Eren who sullenly trailed behind, the setting sun dimming almost as quickly as his anger. She did not think he was angry with her but frustrated with himself and more likely, the world. She stroked his head later as they sat on the couch together, wondering if she had made the right choice, if there had ever been one to make anyway.

She was twenty years old and she still was not sure if the choices she had made were the best ones. So far things had managed to remain calm and stable but she could never stop the ever present ‘ _ what if’ _ that quietly rang in the back of her mind. She tried to remind herself that she should be grateful for whatever came their way but that only served to increase her irritation. 

Her father’s return filled her with a numbing sensation. The first night, that night he had popped up at their door, Mikasa felt incredibly tired in an instant. She loved Grisha just as she had Carla but like Eren, their relationship was strained. She was at a loss at what she should say to the man who had abandoned them so she settled for the first thing that crossed her mind, ‘ _ Welcome home _ .’ She barely slept and awoke the next morning with her nerves and senses heightened, holding  Armin close to her before rising.

Eren was a smart boy but he made terrible decisions and Mikasa was having a very difficult time accepting that her little brother was seeing two alphas. She hadn’t directly expressed her concern to him yet because she knew he would brush her off. Eren was brash like that. He also hadn’t bothered to tell her anything about them either- any information Mikasa had on them had been delivered to her by Armin and Jean, who had succumbed to her demand only when he saw how close she was to breaking him. 

She was only doing her duty as a big sister she told herself as she made her way through the door of Eren’s favorite coffee place. 

Mikasa didn’t like Annie. She didn’t like the girl’s sour mood or look; didn’t like the way her eyes glinted when she first met Eren. Mikasa didn’t like Annie but grudgingly respected her brother’s friend enough that the two of them could converse without reaching for the other’s throat. 

“What a nice surprise,” Annie said as Mikasa strolled up.

“I suppose it’s been a while.” Annie nodded and leaned against the counter, her cold eyes calculating and waiting.

Mikasa sighed, “I think you know why I’m here.”

“Still keeping an eye on him, huh?”

“You know how he is,” she said, pulling up a seat next to the counter. “So what can you tell me about these guys?”

“You want anything to drink?” Annie asked, ignoring Mikasa’s question.

“Annie,” she said, warningly, “you do not want to test me.”   


“Not everyone is as scared of you as you think, ‘Kasa. You’re not the only one who can hold their own,” Annie replied, nonchalantly. She poured coffee into a mug and placed it in front of her. “Caffeine makes the world go around. Drink and relax. We got plenty of time unless you have somewhere to be but I doubt that.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes and took the cup, “I guess you’re right. Sorry, just been really stressed is all.”   


“We all have our days, some of us more than others but, hey, what’re you gonna do? That brother of yours is a fucking handful anyway.”

Mikasa scoffed, “Like you wouldn’t believe.”   


She thought she saw Annie smile but supposed it must have been a trick of the light when she looked back and saw the girl looking as indifferent as ever.

“Anyway,” Annie continued, “you might just be right this time. Even I can see that Eren is playing with fire.”   


Mikasa’s perfect eyebrows furrowed, “What can you tell me about them?”   


Annie shrugged, “They haven’t been coming here long, maybe about two months before your brother finally decided to make a move on them. They like to sit over there,” she pointed and Mikasa turned to glance. “Eren used to just watch them whenever they came in. The second-hand embarrassment I got from watching his glazed over expression was too real. Like, honestly, he barely hid his interest.”

“Ugh, I can only imagine. So aside from that is there anything suspicious about them? Anything I should be worried about?” 

“They just sit there talking to each other from what I’ve seen. Look, you may just be better off talking to them yourself. They’re bound to show up today; they usually do.”

Mikasa peered over at Annie, “It almost sounds like you’re itching for a fight.” She looked amused at the comment. 

“Hey, what’s not to like about a good fight?”

“I’m only here to make sure my brother is in good hands,” Mikasa replied. “Best way is to see for myself what kind of men have taken an interest in him.” 

Annie’s comeback died as she turned to the sound of the door opening and Mikasa saw her smirk for the first time. “Well, you get what you wish for.”

Mikasa glanced towards the entrance and unsettling, grey eyes met her own.  _ I suppose you’re right, _ she thought, felt her body tense as she rose. For the first time, she understood the dark desire that Eren often felt compelled to follow. She wanted to fight.


	10. Raw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another update! Holy shit!!! Lmao, I want to thank everyone who's taken the time to read this fic! I hope you guys continue to enjoy the future chapters and the progression of the characters :)

She had always been tall for her age, something Mikasa had resented as she grew into a young lady. Her alpha status already made her into an imposing figure and her height didn’t help her attain a “girly” image either. Her preteen years had been awkward and unbecoming as she struggled with her femininity. She felt at a loss being taller and stronger than most boys.

She grew over the years and stood at a solid 5’8, something that only inspired confidence in her now. She no longer feared towering over people and rarely did her height pose her an issue anymore. In fact, as she stared down the glaring man in front of her, she reveled in the knowledge that she was some inches taller than him. Her usual black attire was accented with her trademark red scarf and a simple, thin, gold chain on her neck. She knew her stance was antagonizing the other alpha, which was rare in her case- she usually worked to maintain the peace.

She took a deep breath, shook the malicious intention she felt in the pit of her stomach, and extended her hand to the man.

“Mikasa Ackerman,” she introduced herself, “I believe you've been dating my brother.”

He was taken aback. He had been ready to throttle her had she been an aggressive alpha and he _had_ felt some danger radiating from her. He knew that sense well. Here she was though, playing at courtesies. He looked at her hand in disdain. Behind him, another hand shot out and clasped onto Mikasa’s. He felt the weight of the other man on his back.

“Erwin Smith,” he smiled graciously and looked down at his partner, the pleasant expression twisting for a second before quickly transforming. “I apologize for Levi, meeting new people isn't exactly his forte.”

Mikasa retracted her hand, “Well, he _really_ should work on that.”

“I agree,” the blond replied. “May I ask you to join us for a cup of coffee, Ms. Ackerman?”

“No, I don't plan on staying much longer,” she grimaced, “I came to tell you that whatever it is you're planning, whatever awful intention that you may harbor toward my brother, I will make your life hell. I know that’s saying a lot for our first meeting but I'm exceptionally wary of two grown men, _alphas,_ who take an interest in someone younger and who lacks any experience. I can’t make you stay away from Eren but you should take what I’ve said into consideration if you actually do care even slightly for him. Don’t toy with my brother.” She bared her teeth at the smaller one but when she glanced at Erwin her instincts ran wild. His friendly demeanor had dropped, and his annoyance began to show.

“Thank you for those thought provoking words, Mikasa. However _unnecessary_ they are, we know they came from a good place. If you’ll excuse us,” he held Levi by the shoulders and guided him around Mikasa. Levi bored holes into the side of Mikasa’s head and she met his angry gaze and scoffed, turning and leaving. The air outside was a relief to the stifling shop. Eren was lucky she didn’t hurt his new boyfriends even though she very badly wanted to do so. She walked to the side of the lot where her bike was parked. She put on her helmet and the revving of the cycle served to fuel the bitter fury inside her, nestled in her chest.

Eren was going to scold her but she had needed to see for herself who he was messing around with and she was glad she had. She didn’t trust them and she sure as hell didn’t want them around her brother.

When she finally arrived home, she heard Eren’s yells through the front door. She sighed, _this is gonna be a rough night._

He was angry. No, far beyond that at this point.

“WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS TAKING HER SIDE?” he screamed at his father. The blood in his head was so hot. He couldn’t stop sweating, felt it run down the nape of his neck.

Apparently, in the time Mikasa had been gone Eren had decided to incite full on war with their father.

“Eren! Calm down, I understand you’re angry with me but there’s no need to take it out on Grisha,” Mikasa tried to reason with him. Eren looked at her sourly and marched out of the living room, slamming the door to his room and locking it. _How dare she? What gave her the right to come in and start giving him orders?_

He was so pissed. He always hated Mikasa’s protective side. Hated the inferior feeling it left him with and how it gnawed at him. _Why can’t she trust my choices?_

He exhaled and buried his face in a pillow, slowly lulling himself to sleep. When he awoke, his head hurt slightly as if he had been crying but he knew he hadn’t, at least not that he remembered. A knock on his door quickly reminded him of the recent events and he glowered.

“Eren.”

“Go away.”

“Please, don’t be like this, open the door.”

“No, go away.”

“ _Eren.”_

He sighed and walked to the door, unlocking it and returning to his bed. He wrapped his sheets around himself and watched Mikasa as she walked in and sat at the foot of his bed.

“Dad told me you went off on him because Erwin texted you about our conversation and you wanted to come after me and he stopped you.”

“He’s _always_ siding with you and you know it. This had nothing to do with you and yet you still go off and stick your nose in my business. I don’t do that to you, Mikasa,” he said, spitefully.

“Eren, I know to you I seem like a meddling big sister and you just want to get rid of me but you have to understand that you always do things so recklessly and that’s frightening to me. Can you really fault me for wanting to make sure that the guys you’re seeing aren’t serial killers or something?” she spat back.

They held each other’s gaze and came to a silent truce.

“Whatever,” he said, smiling ruefully at her.

“There you go, you big baby,” she ruffled his hair. “Eren, seriously though, you have to try to be nicer to Grisha. You can’t blow up on him like that. It isn’t healthy.”

“You’re treating him much better than he deserves! Why can’t you see that? Are you just planning on ignoring how he left us?” he ranted and continued, “He left after our _mother died_ ; he didn’t even try to stick around. I have so much pent up inside me, Mikasa. I can’t keep acting like this is all fine. Were you not just as hurt as I was when he just left like that? If we don’t tell him then he’ll never know. We can keep acting like everything's all fucking dandy but then what? We’ll wait around until the next time he leaves us? I _need_ him to know, if there’s any part of him that actually cares for us then I need him to. I don’t wanna be like this anymore.”

Mikasa looked pained, eyes blank as she reflected on his words. She hesitated before replying, “I haven’t forgotten that he left, Eren. These past few years haven’t been the easiest that’s true but I’ve learned and grown enough to understand that there are some things people just can’t deal with.” She paused and looked at him, “Take me for example, I need my family more than anything. I lost one already and I don’t want to lose another and if that means forgiving Grisha then so be it. People get hurt and when they do they need time to heal and if they aren’t allowed that then they never really let themselves move on. You have to give him a chance, Eren, he’s our father.”

“So do we ever get a chance then? To not hurt like this anymore? Or do we have to keep it all in because apparently I’m a bad person for wanting so badly not to feel so hollow and abandoned all the time.” Eren let out softly, his eyes downcast. “Levi and Erwin make me happy and it’s exciting and I feel like you’re trying to take that from me and that isn’t fair because you don’t know what it’s like. You and Armin are so happy together, how could you possibly?

They sat there. Eren’s final words still tingling on his lips and tongue. His mouth scrunched up in annoyance with himself. He always had to say the most harmful things. He felt a cool hand touch his left cheek and raise his face. He looked up at his sister and Mikasa pulled him in for a hug. “Oh, Eren, I’m sorry.”

He burrowed his face into Mikasa’s shoulder and held her tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***So some people have been saying that they don't particularly like the way the story is heading and idk how to say this other than if you don't like the direction this story is going then don't read it? Sorry but I'm not going to hold people's hands and I'm not forcing you to read my fic. Also, if you're just going to complain about how you don't like it please be more constructive about your feedback and at least specify why lmao***


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